A village has been “left in limbo” as a campaign for a satellite GP service rumbles on.
Members of Letham Community Council have pledged to be “like a dog with a bone” until NHS Tayside approve some form of doctor’s surgery there.
The group has been pushing for provision for more than two years, and with interest from a medical practice already confirmed they are now awaiting the go-ahead from the health board.
Chairman of the campaign sub-group Laing Sturrock said there had been a lack of communication from the NHS on whether a GP would be allowed to operate from the preferred location the village health centre at Jubilee Court.
NHS Tayside confirmed costings and plans for the proposed development have now been completed but stopped short of providing a date when services will commence.
Mr Sturrock said: “It (the health centre) seems like an ideal place to have a GP in the village it is up and running and has been for a fair while.”
He said the most recent correspondence from NHS officials indicated there are still information technology and safety issues to be worked through.
Grace Stewart, of the Angus Gold over-50s group, said her members’ feedback suggested there would be a high demand for a local surgery.
“There are a lot of elderly people in the village, but there are also a lot of workers and people with families who would use a GP,” she said.
“At the moment a trip to the doctor can take over a whole day.”
Community council member Angus Watson added: “It can cost up to £20 to get to Forfar in a taxi. The costs mount up, particularly if you have more than one appointment in a week.”
Angus MSP Graeme Dey has raised the need for a GP service in Letham at the Scottish Parliament.
He has now written to NHS Tayside chief executive Gerry Marr to request a “clear timeline” for the matter to be brought to a conclusion.
He said: “I share entirely the frustration that is felt over the inordinate time being taken over this.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “Angus Community Health Partnership general manager Susan Wilson has been in close contact with the primary care directorate of NHS Tayside to coordinate all of the planning and costing for the proposed test of a satellite GP clinic in the new Health and Wellbeing Centre in Letham.
“These costings and plans have now been completed. Ms Wilson has already informed the chairman of the Community Council’s GP services sub group that a meeting will now take place with a GP practice which has expressed an interest in the satellite clinic.
“Following this meeting, a paper will then be submitted to the NHS Tayside executive team for consideration.”