South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth has responded to the news that Moffat Surgery will come under direct NHS Board management from tomorrow (Thursday).

Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership issued a statement on Wednesday afternoon saying that as there no bidders for the contract for the surgery, it will now come under direct NHS Board management.

Colin Smyth said: “The news that Moffat Surgery is to be taken under direct NHS Board management on an interim basis is very disappointing.

“The board had said it expected that there would be issues providing an alternative provider and sadly there were no bidders for the contract for the surgery.

“This will inevitably cause disruptions for patients and I imagine people are very concerned about what their care will look like.

“There are still huge issues with primary care across the whole of the NHS at present and there are long-standing problems facing the local NHS of an overall shortage of GPs which must be solved.”