GP wanted

Published on Thursday 6 August 2009 22:03

A VISCOUNT has placed an advert looking for a GP to work in a Scottish rural area at the centre of protests over the provision of out-of-hours care.

The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley has advertised in GP magazine for a doctor to provide out-of-hours GP cover in the Rannoch and Tummel region.

It follows an ongoing row after the local GP practice withdrew from covering evenings and weekends.

The out-of-hours period is now covered by a GP based about 20 miles away in Aberfeldy or Pitlochry.

Viscount Monckton said he had the backing of the local community in placing the advert.

He said local GP out-of-hours cover could be provided for a quarter of the 557,000 a year that has been quoted by NHS Tayside.

The advert is inviting tenders for the position, and Viscount Monckton said he was calling on the NHS to fund the appointment.

"I have already received several expressions of interest from suitably qualified doctors," he said.

"The first candidate will be visiting us shortly."

NHS Tayside said: "Ensuring appropriate standards of care either in or out-of-hours in the Kinloch Rannoch area has, and always will be, the responsibility of NHS Tayside.

"The 557,000 per annum to cover the out-of-hours period in Kinloch Rannoch was costed by the Primary Care Directorate and was based on providing an actively staffed service, that is an on-duty service, for all of the out-of-hours period, which was compliant with the European Working Time Directive."