A Perthshire hospital has been forced to turn away patients, with local health services plunged into a fresh staffing crisis.
Health chiefs have had to temporarily abandon services at the Minor Injury and Illness Unit (MIIU) at Crieff Community Hospital.
What are being described as “unplanned staff absences” have forced the health board to conclude that the unit cannot be run safely.
Services have been transferred to Blairgowrie Community Hospital, 30 miles and 50 minutes away, while the Perth and Kinross Health and Social care Partnership resolves the issue.
Other services at the hospital are unaffected.
It is hoped the unit will be able to reopen, with safe staffing levels, within seven days, but it is further evidence of the health service’s struggle to attract skilled healthcare workers.
In March, NHS Tayside was forced to delay operations and merge wards at Perth Royal Infirmary due to a crippling nursing shortage.
That decision was also taken to preserve safe patient care and at the time the board admitted it was battling to address a lack of trained nurses, with up to 170 posts empty across Tayside.
Five rounds of advertising vacancies had failed to make any significant dent in the shortfall.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alexander Stewart warned that without action at a national level such closures would become commonplace.
Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership Chief Officer Robert Packham apologised for the disruption the latest closure will cause but said it was unavoidable.
“It is essential that we provide an MIIU service with appropriately skilled staff which is safe for patients and staff,” he said.
“Due to staffing difficulties, we have had to make the decision to restrict the opening of the unit for a temporary period.”
The MIIU closure is the latest blow to the board and the Crieff Community Hospital, whose dementia unit is also at risk as a result of the reorganisation of community services.
Strathearn Conservative Councillor Roz McCall said would be raising the issue with NHS Tayside on behalf of Crieff residents.
“I am obviously very disappointed that this has happened,” the councillor said.
“I will be bringing this up with the health board on behalf of the people of the area to see whether this is simply down to illness or holidays or whether there is something more serious at the root of it.”
Ms McCall added: “I also find it baffling that the people of Crieff are being requested to go to Blairgowrie Community Hospital rather than to Perth or Stirling.
“It is not a handy option for them.”
The councillor said she had heard numerous concerns about the future of the hospital and its units raised on the doorstep during the recent local government elections.
NHS Tayside has said it hopes to see the MIIU reopen and return to normal opening hours on the morning of Monday July 17.
The MIIU is usually open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, and from 9am until 9pm at weekends.
During the closure, patients who require MIIU services can attend the MIIU at Blairgowrie Community Hospital, which is open between 9am and 9pm, seven days a week.
Patients can also contact their GP during opening hours or contact NHS 24 on 111 in out-of-hours periods if they have a problem that cannot wait until GP surgeries reopen.
Politicians, including the SNP’s MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, Roseanna Cunningham have in the past questioned whether the number and location of minor injury and illness units in Tayside is adequate.
She believes they should be available to large rural populations and that they reduce pressure on major hospitals such as Perth Royal Infirmary and Ninewells.
