A RENFREWSHIRE hospital is to become one of four emergency out-of-hour GP 'bases' as part of a contingency plan to try to improve cover.

The Royal Alexandra Hospital, in Paisley, is to be relied upon to deliver the services after health bosses took the decision to cut them from Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 

Two services will be available in the evenings and weekends at Glasgow at Stobhill and the New Victoria hospitals at evenings. An additional evening service will be operating from Vale of Leven hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the plan aims to boost service continuity “until longer term improvements’ can be implemented and will be monitoring patient flow at each site.

The news comes a month after services were suspended overnight at the RAH due to staff shortages. 

READ MORE: GP crisis sees overnight out-of-hours suspended at Royal Alexandra Hospital

Like the majority of Scottish health boards, NHSGGC is battling chronic shortages of GPs willing to work after hours in part due to national changes to pensions.

It has led to centres being shut at short notice, on one night in January the city is reported to have been left with no cover.

The following centres – Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock Health Centre, Easterhouse Health Centre, Gartnavel Royal Hospital and QEUH will be temporarily suspended

The health board said the service changes will not affect GP home visiting services.

Kerri Neylon, Primary Care Lead GP at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “A number of contributory factors mean the current out-of-hours service has become unsustainable." 

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