Moray MP Douglas Ross says he welcomed the opportunity to meet once again with Save our Surgeries campaigners early in the new year.
Douglas – who met the campaigners in Hopeman – says he has been “proud” to stand alongside those fighting to re-open GP surgeries in Hopeman and Burghead and will continue to do so.
He says the meeting was “positive and constructive” in discussing how he can help the group with their next steps and ensure that the campaign continues to have momentum, not only within the local community, but at a national level with the SNP health secretary and wider Scottish Government.
Douglas says remote and rural communities like Hopeman and Burghead all too often “bear the brunt” of crucial public services being centralised and that this has a “deeply damaging” impact on patients.
Douglas who revealed at the end of last year that the number of GPs in Moray has remained stagnant despite an increase in the number of patients registered at local GPs, says he will continue to meet regularly with campaigners to find a positive solution once and for all.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “I always welcome the opportunity to meet with the Save our Surgeries campaigners. Kicking off the new year with a meeting Hopeman gave me another chance to praise them for all the work they are doing to fight for GP surgeries in the villages.
“This was a positive and constructive meeting as usual about the next steps for the group and their plans for the year ahead. It is crucial that momentum in the campaign continues, not only within the local communities, but also nationally which is why I will continue to raise the issue with relevant SNP ministers and in Parliament.
“All too often areas in Moray bear the brunt of services being centralised and that has a deeply damaging impact on local people.
“I have been proud to stand alongside Save our Surgeries campaigners and will continue to meet regularly with them in the hope of finding a positive solution to this situation once and for all.”
