A doctor running a remote two-GP medical practice has blamed NHS cuts for forcing his colleague to quit.
Senior GP Dr Iain Gartshore says a pot of NHS cash used to pay locums for holiday cover at Mallaig and Arisaig Medical Practice has dramatically dropped from £45,000 to £15,000 in the last three years.
His colleague Dr Katrina Geissel has left the practice to move to Ullapool in Wester Ross.
In a letter to patients, Dr Gartshore said: “The cuts have been significant and the practice can no longer afford locum cover when either GP is on annual leave.
“The current working pattern of our GPs is not sustainable for long periods of time, and this has contributed to the loss of our GP, Dr Katrina.”
He added: “The NHS Highland Managers are directly responsible for making the financial cuts to our practice. We have repeatedly made a case for the reinstatement of the financial support.”
The practice has advertised for a replacement on an initial £68-£75,000 one-year contract, with an additional £10,000 Golden Hello and £5,000 relocation package.
Last year Dr Gartshore said the continuing cuts would mean doctors would no longer go out to see dying patients out-of-hours.
The practice, with more than 1,800 patients, also started screening calls to stop patients jumping the queue.
An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: “For several years, NHS Highland has been topping up the amount that Mallaig and Arisaig has been receiving to assist with recruitment and stability. This temporary additional funding is being reduced gradually.
“This move has been taken in discussion with the practice to allow them time to prepare for the reduced income. It was not a permanent arrangement and NHS Highland has a duty to ensure that the small amount of money available in this fund is used to support other practices in need.
“It must be stressed that the funding that is being removed is on top of the core funding that a practice would expect to be able to run its business.”
