Patients with Parkinson’s disease in Moray face a “crisis” as the region is left with no consultants specialising in the illness.
One doctor at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin retired in March with another due to take a year’s sabbatical at the end of the month leaving only a part-time nurse in the region.
Campaigners claim the staff shortages highlight how stressed the service is for the 200 patients with video links to Aberdeen being set up.
Elsie Watson, chairwoman of Elgin and District Parkinson’s Support Group, said: “The nurse is going to have no back-up here, nobody to give advice and nobody to change medications.
“It’s really a crisis situation. I know there’s been difficulties in recruitment but I feel they have not been proactive.
“This has come out of the blue but the service has been stretched to the bare bones for a long time.”
Patients visit Dr Gray’s for assessments every six months to check the progress of the disease.
Burghead resident Tony Caldwell said: “Video links aren’t the same. You really need someone there to see how bad your tremors are, they may even pick up on things that you’re not aware of yourself.”
NHS Grampian has described the temporary gap in cover as “unfortunate” as the authority reviews the capacity of the service in the region.
More than 50 concerned locals met Moray MSP Richard Lochhead and charity Parkinson’s UK to push for cover to be brought to Dr Gray’s.
Mr Lochhead said Moray patients cannot be “left in the lurch”.
He said: “Not only do we need to ensure that there is continuity of service for local patients but that extra consultants and staff are recruited as soon as possible.
“Special incentives will be required to attract consultants to Moray and a package offering this must also be put in place as a matter of urgency.”
Tanith Muller, Parkinson’s UK’s campaigns officer, said: “People are really anxious about this.
“It’s a concern no consultants with expertise will be based locally.”
An NHS Grampian spokesman said: “Our plans are to review the arrangements on a Grampian-wide basis to ensure that we can meet the needs of the entire population in a resilient manner.”
