Doctors from a GP clinic in Dundee have called on the Scottish Government to help with a “contractual quicksand” predicament.
A letter from seven GPs from Maryfield Medical Centre to Holyrood says NHS Tayside has been “slow and non-committal” in finalising a lease deal since taking over the premises last year.
The doctors claim the ongoing situation is having causing “significant distress” on them and their families.
But the government have washed their hands of the dispute, saying it is for the “health board to take forward”.
NHS Tayside bosses have taken issue with several points in the letter and have raised concerns over the condition of the building.
The Maryfield centre came under NHS Tayside board control last year amid a staffing crisis.
The health centre moved to its current Mains Loan home in 2008 and entered a 25-year leasing contract with private firm Prime PLC.
Some of the doctors no longer practice medicine at the health centre, but are still named as leaseholders. Two of them retired and another three took on different roles within NHS Tayside.
The GPs claim the legal costs of finalising a lease deal would be covered by NHS Tayside, but that the health board have not been supportive.
The letter states: “Despite the many months that elapsed since discussions began, it became clear at the last minute that transfer of the lease would not occur as previously agreed, necessitating the creation of a ‘sub-licence to occupy’ to allow entry by NHS Tayside.”
The sub-licence ensured service to patients was not interrupted.
The letter adds: “Despite previous assurances we were then advised no assistance would be given for our legal costs, which continue to rise.
“Overall communication from NHS Tayside has been slow and non-committal, which has played a significant part in the escalating costs.
“At times we have been met with refusal to deal with all the current leaseholders and the tone of the discussion has on occasion been confrontational and unhelpful.”
A NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the health board was not involved in the initial lease.
“Since 2009, a number of GPs have left the Maryfield practice but they did not make arrangements to be removed from the lease,” they added.
“This is a matter between the individual GPs and the private firm.
“The GPs have advised they wish NHS Tayside to take over their private lease arrangements which still have a minimum of 15 years to run and this comes with many obligations.
“This would require a significant level of financial investment in what would remain a privately-owned, leased property.
“The public would rightly expect NHS Tayside carries out all the necessary checks on a building and the services it provides before agreeing to spend a substantial amount of public money.”
The health board claim it would take a “substantial six-figure” sum to bring the building up to standard and say they have written to the GPs with an offer to discuss the matter.
Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “They are stuck in contractual quicksand and that has taken its toll.
“The board need to address many of the points raised about the process.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said that while there is a code in place for similar situations, Maryfield Medical Centre does not fall into that bracket.
She said: “The negotiation of an assignation of a lease from tenants who were partners in a former GP practice falls outside the code and is a matter for the local health board to take forward in an appropriate and timely manner.”
The GPs declined to comment on the letter.
