Moray MP Douglas Ross says he has been left “deeply disappointed” by the response from the Chief Executive and Chair of NHS Grampian after he asked for them to meet with members of the Save Our Surgeries campaign group who are campaigning on behalf of residents in Hopeman and Burghead..
The MP had sought a meeting with the new Chief Executive of NHS Grampian, Adam Coldwells and the Chair, Alison Evison, as neither had previously had any direct discussion or meetings with campaigners, who are fighting to have a GP presence in their villages.
Douglas has met with the campaign team many times and has written to the previous Chief Executive of NHS Grampian and locally to representatives of the Moray Health and Social Care Partnership. He has also contacted SNP Ministers and brought the issue up in Parliament.
Douglas had hoped that a meeting would allow the new Chief Executive of NHS Grampian and the Chair, to hear directly from local campaigners and is frustrated by their unwillingness to meet local residents in Moray.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “I sought a meeting with the Chief Executive of NHS Grampian and the Chair of the board, in an effort to allow me to discuss openly and frankly the circumstances surrounding the closure of the GP surgeries at Hopeman and Burghead, in the hope that perhaps we could have found a positive and constructive way forward.
"I really hoped they would have agreed to listen directly to local campaigners on the Save Our Surgeries group who are representing the villages in this campaign. They are passionate, informed and determined to do their best for Hopeman and Burghead and it's so frustrating that key individuals at the top of NHS Grampian refuse to meet them. I really hope the Chief Executive and Chair will reconsider this snub and agree to meet.
“While I am deeply disappointed that neither will meet with me and campaigners, it just reiterates the belief that the initial decision to close these surgeries was made for the wrong reasons and with highly questionable statistical information, data and background information. This is why NHS Grampian and the Moray Health and Social Care Partnership have closed ranks and frankly are not open to ongoing dialogue and discussion.
“I continue to stand alongside the campaign team and together we will maintain the efforts to highlight the short sightedness of these decisions.
“I will continue to meet regularly with all those concerned and I'm sure this campaign will gather more momentum as the campaign group will attend the Scottish Parliament to present a petition in the coming weeks."