Concerns have been raised over evening and weekend patient care across Tayside, after claims that the region’s out-of-hours GP service is facing a staffing crisis.
A source connected with the Kings Cross Health and Community Care Centre, where the service is based, has claimed that there is often just one doctor on duty.
The member of staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said home visits were sometimes suspended due to the staff shortage.
NHS Tayside said that home visits continued to be carried out but admitted, like other health boards, they faced “significant challenges” due to a national shortage of GPs willing to work out-of-hours.
The source said: “They just can’t get doctors to do the out-of-hours shift. There should be three doctors on duty, but sometimes there’s just the one.
“That means they can’t do home visits, so the drivers who are paid to be there are doing nothing all night. I wouldn’t be surprised if the service closes down altogether by the end of the year.
“Things were fine when the service was run by the doctors themselves but since the NHS took it over, it has gradually gone downhill.
“The management is bad, and morale is low. Nobody wants to work the shifts.”
Doctors can choose whether they work out-of-hours, as GP practices are not contractually obliged to provide out-of-hours cover.
Dr Jane Bruce, Clinical Director for Tayside’s out-of-hours service said: “The out-of-hours team has worked tirelessly over the past two years to recruit GPs to the service, and we have an excellent team of enthusiastic and dedicated GPs who work regularly from Kings Cross and other locality bases in Tayside.
“In common with other out-of-hours services across the UK, there are times when we face significant challenges due to a national shortage of GPs opting to work in the out of hours periods.
“During these times, our GPs, nurses and all associated staff extend efforts to maintain a high quality of patient care and access for patients across Tayside.
“GP practices are not contractually obliged to provide cover for out-of-hours sessions but NHS Tayside continues to engage with Tayside GPs and indeed the wider multidisciplinary team who are already supporting the service in providing healthcare across Tayside.
She added: “The out-of-Hours service for Tayside is coordinated through a single base at Kings Cross Health & Community Care Centre in Dundee.
“This has allowed better planning and co-ordination of the service across all areas in Tayside.
“Home visits continue to be carried out across Tayside.
“As a result of recent improvement projects, the out-of-hours base in Perth Royal Infirmary is now open for GP consultations during most out-of-hours periods. The base in Arbroath is also open to meet clinical demand when capacity allows.”
If patients have a problem which cannot wait until GP surgeries reopen, they should contact NHS 24 on 111.
