Health crisis

In October 2013 Scottish Cabinet secretary for health and well-being Alex Neil said: “The NHS must be a genuinely seven-day service where it needs to be.” Headlines in our local paper this week read: “Out-of-hours doctor service is cut.”

It’s a sham. As those who need it know, out-of-hours provision (including NHS 24) is shambolic, frustrating and life-threatening.

It has been since 2004, and will be until responsibility for 24-hour care is put back where it belongs: with local GPs. Until then we will continue to do what works: ring for an ambulance or turn up at A&E.

Bryan Webster

Eyemouth