PHYSIOS, mental health nurses and pharmacists are attempting to ease pressure on a struggling West Fife medical centre down to its last doctor.

Recruitment issues have been stretching the Valleyfield Medical Practice for several years now with patients unable to book advanced appointments, instead faced with an 8am free-for-all to get a slot which has meant those with non-urgent medical issues are put to the back of the queue.

NHS Fife and the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership held a meeting with community council representatives from High High Valleyfield, Low Valleyfield, Culross, and Torryburn and Newmills last week to discuss the problem.

Patients are set to receive letters updating them of the ongoing work to find a solution in the coming days.

An NHS spokesperson said the medical practice continued to recruit actively for replacement GPs following the departure of a number of doctors recently.

"Across the UK, there is a very significant shortage of General Practitioners, meaning there are currently far more vacancies than available GPs to fill these positions. This shortage is affecting the whole of the UK, including a number of other medical practices in Fife," they stated.

"To help address this shortage in the short term, a multi-disciplinary team of healthcare professionals, including physiotherapists, mental health nurses and pharmacists are supporting the remaining GP, advanced nurse practitioner and locum medical staff.

"These clinicians are highly-trained, experienced healthcare professionals who will provide patients with a very high standard of care, often without the need to see or speak to a GP."

NHS Fife said it was acknowledged at their meeting with community representatives that an "immediate resolution" to the recruitment issues was unlikely.

They added: "Reassurance was offered that we remained committed to identifying suitable candidates that could be appointed to take up permanent GP roles in the practice.

"This search is not limited just to Scotland, with the net being cast beyond the country’s borders to find suitably qualified and experienced medical staff."

A series of additional measures have been taken to improve the local services available to people in Valleyfield.

These include improved systems within the practice to help increase capacity in the short term, active recruitment to expand the multi-disciplinary team supporting the practice, and discussions with neighbouring practices to identify any enhanced support that can be offered.

The phone system is also being looked at to see if changes can be made to help improve access to services.

NHS Fife also stressed that the staff at Valleyfield Medical Practice were working "incredibly hard" to provide patients with the best standard of service they possibly could, in "extremely difficult" circumstances.

They added: "While we appreciate the understandable frustrations felt by patients, however, please remember that the practice staff are doing everything in their power to help in any way they can. Please treat the staff with the courtesy they deserve."