Campaigners looking to have GP service returned to their communities have been left frustrated at a lack of progress.
Members of the Burghead and Hopeman Save our Surgeries group protested outside council headquarters this week ahead of a meeting of Moray Integration Joint Board (IJB).
They feel there has been a lack of meaningful discussions with health services over the decision not to staff clinics in the villages.
And the say the topic of reopening the the branch surgeries has been “taken off the table”.
‘Kick in the teeth’
Group member Dennis Slater said: “We’re no further forward. But we’ve got to be strong here.
“It’s a kick in the teeth, but we’re not finished.
“These people need to stand up and be counted. We need to thrash this out.”
The branch surgeries used to be operated by Moray Coast Medical Practice based in Lossiemouth.
However they are not prepared to operate them any more, partly because of concerns for staff safety.
Patients from more rural communities now have to travel to Lossiemouth for GP appointments.
But protestor Ness Tunggal raised concerns for those who cannot get to the health centre.
She said: “People are not calling up for appointments because they know they need to get transport to get there. They simply don’t want to do that.
Branch surgery closure discussions ‘taken off the table’
“In the end they have to be taken by ambulance.
“And people are scared to complain, they don’t want their names out there.”
Liz McKnockiter from Burghead was asked to sit on a locality group to contribute to improvements for health services in the area.
However she believes her appointment is no more than “lip service”.
Mrs McKnockiter said: “It’s just so they can tick a box.
“And any talk of opening the branch surgeries has been taken off the table.”
The group have suggested a nurse led service operating in Burghead and Hopeman with regular GP appointments every fortnight.
But they have had no response to the idea from health bosses.
Members of the IJB on Thursday noted progress on the development of health services in and around Lossiemouth.
Branch surgeries will not reopen in their old guise
That includes establishing a digital health focus group, and raising awareness of Moray Council’s m.connect dial-a-bus service as a transport option to take people to appointments in Lossiemouth.
Vice chairwoman of the IJB Tracy Colyer said: “We have to acknowledge that the branch surgeries will not reopen in their old guise.
“Times change and we have to look forward to the most favourable care for the people of Moray.”
Councillor for Elgin South Peter Bloomfield called for the Lossiemouth health centre to meet with campaigners for an “adult conversation”.
Practice manager Alison Frankland told the meeting she had emailed the group and expected to meet them next week.
Elgin South councillor John Divers highlighted a “huge problem” in Elgin with Maryhill and Linkwood practices at “bursting point”.
He said: “I have sympathy for the communities in Burghead and Hopeman.
“I would be standing along side them if I was living there,
“But we have to look at this in the wider perspective.”
Elgin practices at ‘bursting point’
This week Moray Council agreed for council leader Kathleen Robertson to write to the IJB to encourage positive discussions with campaigners.
It also asked that any use of the dial-a-bus as a dedicated service for patient transport be submitted as a request to the council.
The Burghead and Hopeman clinics were shut at the beginning of the Covid pandemic in March 2020.
However they did not reopen when restrictions ended partly because the buildings do not comply with current health care standards.
The surgeries were open on a part-time basis and saw a combined total of 114 patients a week.
A public consultation on their future attracted more than 650 responses.
Around 75% of those taking part said they were against shutting them for good.
And over 80% felt the closures would have a negative impact on communities.
