DUMBARTON MSP Jackie Baillie is calling on the SNP Government to oppose plans to close GP Out of Hours services during the week at the Vale of Leven Hospital and other hospitals across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Patients in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond requiring emergency primary care services on midweek evenings after GP surgeries close would be forced to travel to the RAH in Paisley, according to plans drawn up by the health board.

The health board’s figures show that 122 patients a week use the service between Monday and Friday at the Vale of Leven.

An internal NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde paper published last month reveals that the preferred option is to reduce the number of Out of Hours Services operating during the week from eight to five due to financial and staffing pressures.

The changes would see opening hours reduced at the Vale of Leven Hospital, Inverclyde Royal and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

The paper was written by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in January but has only come to light when it was discussed at the West Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership meeting on March 22.

The GP staffing crisis has shut down the service temporarily in four out of the last 8 weekends at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

The health board admits that the high levels of unfilled shifts are partly due to other health boards in the west of Scotland offering higher rates to GPs than NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Scottish Labour MSP for Dumbarton, Ms Baillie, said: "The SNP’s failure to deal with the GP recruitment crisis means that once again the Vale of Leven Hospital is the target for cuts. Under these plans, over 100 patients a week in my constituency would be forced to travel across the Erskine Bridge to Paisley to access the most basic primary care services.

"The Vale of Leven Hospital always seems to be the first target for cuts, even though the health board’s own figures show higher attendance rates at Out of Hours among communities north of the river Clyde. These proposals are clearly driven by an agenda to centralise local health services to save money rather than the actual needs of patients.

"This paper was written months ago yet the SNP Government have tried to deny that any such proposals exist and dismissed local concerns. It’s clear now that they want to sweep the cuts to come under the carpet until after the local elections in May.

"GP out of hours services are a basic but vital component of any hospital and they must remain accessible to our local communities. The SNP Health Secretary must step in now and halt the centralisation of our local services."

But Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "The Board has confirmed that the recent closures of the primary care out of hours service at the Vale were temporary measures taken to protect patient care.

"NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are undertaking a review of these services, in line with the recommendations from Sir Lewis Ritchie’s national review.

"Whilst I am clear that I expect the Board to undertake meaningful engagement with local stakeholders in the shaping and delivery of these services, it is important to note that no formal proposals have come forward.

"In this event, I would expect the Board to explain how they will maintain access for local people."

Jim Moohan, HospitalWatch chairman said: "This nine to five situation is a disgrace.

"I would ask the health secretary, once again, to come and meet the campaign group and listen to our concerns.

"There has been underinvestment in the hospital for the best part of 10 years from the Scottish government and it's been 10 years of failure. I'm sorry but the health secretary and the First Minister need to start concentrating on what's happening in Scotland and not on Brexit because this situation should not have been allowed to unfold the way it has done."