Dr Kevin Woods said the NHS was undergoing change

Chief executive Dr Kevin Woods faced close questioning at Tuesday's meeting of Holyrood's audit committee.

Members called for better performance measurement and asked why Argyll and Clyde Health Board was being abolished after showing dramatic improvements.

Dr Woods pledged to improve service data and said Argyll and Clyde was too disparate an area for one board.

But former health ministers Susan Deacon and Mary Mulligan said the problems of remoteness would remain even if Argyll and Clyde was split between the Highland and Greater Glasgow boards.

Performance picture

Dr Woods said a review by Professor David Kerr was addressing the issue of medical services in rural Scotland.

Its recommendations are now being considered by the Scottish Executive.

Fears that record NHS spending was not always making improvements, previously voiced in a report by the committee, were also brought up.

MSPs questioned moves to restructure services in Argyll and Clyde

Dr Woods said that changes were being implemented, after further concern was raised that ministers were being left at the mercy of an out-dated data gathering system.

Ms Deacon said the committee was greatly concerned by the absence of a "clear picture of performance" within the NHS.

Dr Woods admitted that some areas of data collection had not kept up with changes in the health service, but that other areas were internationally renowned.

However, he added: "We do acknowledge that we need to do better to keep pace with developments in health and care delivery settings.

"We are trying to recover that ground."