An Aberdeenshire GP role which has been vacant for almost six years has now been readvertised 10 times without any applicants.
An Caorann Medical Practice, in Portsoy, has also seen no interest in a separate clinical lead post despite the job being shared four times since it first became free.
NHS staffing shortages across rural areas in the north and north-east of Scotland were laid bare in new statistics showing health centres are struggling to fill key posts.
An Caorann – which has had staffing difficulties for years – was one of several NHS Grampian medical centres unable to hire much-needed doctors.
Mintlaw Medical Practice has been forced to advertise one GP job five times.
Meanwhile, Saltoun Surgery, in Fraserburgh, has seen just a single applicant for a role which has now been reposted on seven occasions.
It was a similar story for NHS Highland, where 11 job vacancies in total have been shared more than once due to a lack of interest.
Carbost Medical Practice, in western Skye, has seen no applications for a GP job that has been up for grabs since 2021 despite being advertised five times.
Meanwhile, two GP posts available on the south of Skye have had to be posted by recruitment chiefs twice.
The Scottish Lib Dems, who obtained the data, warned SNP ministers must do more to plug staffing gaps in rural Scotland.
Ex-leader Willie Rennie said: “Years of SNP mismanagement and neglect of local health services has left millions unable to see their GP.
“That’s a huge issue, particularly in the north-east and the Highlands where we are seeing so many GP roles unfilled.”
Dingwall doctor Miles Mack claimed the north of Scotland had been the “canary in the mine” for problems now gripping the NHS.
Dr Andrew Buist, Chair of the BMA Scotland trade union’s GP Committee, said more funding is needed to boost GP recruitment.
He told us: “It is beyond doubt that we don’t have enough GPs in Scotland to meet demand. That’s true across many areas including Grampian and Highland.
“We need urgent investment to recruit and concerted action to retain GPs if we are to secure the future of general practice in Scotland into the future.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We have already delivered a record number of GPs working in Scotland, with more per head than any other country in the UK.
“A £10,000 bursary is offered as an incentive to GPs to take up rural and other hard to fill vacancies.”
Recruitment pressures
An NHS Grampian spokesperson said: “As has been well documented, there are pressures around recruitment across all roles in health and social care and recruitment of GPs is no exception.”
An NHS Highland spokesperson said: “We are committed to the delivery of patient-centred, high-quality health and social care across our board area.
“Similar to health boards across the country, we are facing recruitment challenges and this is having an impact on a number of areas.”