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 | | Friday, 19 April, 2002, 14:26 GMT 15:26 UK Warning sounded over rural health  Concerns have been raised about rural services Urgent action is needed to improve health care in rural areas because the service is "near collapse", a GP has warned. Dr David Murray, who is based in Lochcarron in the Highlands, has been speaking out in the wake of Caithness GP Dr Peter Joiner's decision to resign over working conditions. Dr Murray's warning also came as the British Medical Association (BMA) unveiled proposals for new GP contracts. He said out-of-hours work, bureaucracy and pay were factors that the Remote and Rural Areas Resource Initiative (Rarari), which he chairs, will be raising with the Scottish Executive and the BMA.
On the severity of the problem, he said: "We are at the point of near collapse. "Unless we keep GPs in their posts then there will come a point where the service is unsustainable." Dr Murray said it was unfortunate his colleague had decided to announce his resignation. He said: "It is really sad that a highly experienced, time-served GP felt it necessary to resign because of the working conditions that remote and rural GPs face. We are feeling undervalued." Dr Joiner declined to comment on his resignation on Friday. Dr Murray said the proposed new contracts are unlikely to make a difference. He said: "It gives recognition of the fact that rural and remote GPs face particular problems but it does not address the problem." The Rarari initiative is a new project funded by the NHS in Scotland, to develop health care services and support for professional staff in remote and rural parts of Scotland. | | See also:  Internet links: The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Top Scotland stories now:  Links to more Scotland stories are at the foot of the page. | |||||||||||||||||||
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