PATIENTS at Valleyfield's health centre are being forced to drive to Dunfermline for medical attention and are "repeatedly being denied" care.

The practice currently has one doctor, though West Fife and Coastal Villages councillor Sam Steele says more residents are reporting there hasn't been one on hand when they have visited.

She explained: "This has been, and continues to be, a disaster waiting to happen.

"Heads of service had stated that there were two GPs on site every day.

"This suddenly changed to one every day and yet I am hearing from residents that there have been countless days when no doctors are at the centre and a few occasions when there are zero medical or nursing staff present either."

She said one woman had no choice but to drive to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline to attend the minor injuries unit, where she met other patients registered to the surgery who were in need of care.

"In front of her in the queue were two other residents from High Valleyfield Health Centre, forced to drive to Dunfermline because nobody was available to see them," Cllr Steele explained.

"I would welcome an audit of how many times this has happened.

"Access to a GP is a basic right, a right that residents listed at High Valleyfield Health Centre are repeatedly being denied."

Last week, the Press reported MP Douglas Chapman's worries that patients were "slipping through the net" at the health centre, which covers High Valleyfield, Low Valleyfield, Culross, Newmills, Torryburn, Cairneyhill, and Crossford.

He said that he had "genuine concerns" for members of the community, which includes a number of former coal-mining industry workers with "distinct health-related issues".

This week, Mr Chapman said: "In so many areas of delivery, NHS Scotland is outperforming the NHS when compared with the three other nations of the UK. However, where individual health boards fall short then we need to look to solutions.

"The situation at High Valleyfield has been unacceptable for some time and we’ve now reached a critical point. In the first instance, responsibility lies with NHS Fife and the Fife Integration Partnership Board and they need to have a plan that puts frontline, primary healthcare for one of the most vulnerable communities in West Fife back on track.

"This is not about apportioning blame as we all appreciate that there are many factors involved but the teams responsible for healthcare delivery must offer my constituents confidence that the weaknesses in the system will be overcome and a full, functioning GP service must be restored urgently at High Valleyfield."

Labour MSP Alex Rowley held a street surgery last week where residents told him of their concerns about the health centre.

As a result, he has written to the director of Fife Health and Social Care Partnership requesting an update on what's been done to tackle staffing shortages.

He says he spoke to more than 40 people in the village, with almost every one highlighting the issue and telling of their difficulties in accessing services.

Dr Helen Hellewell, associate medical director for the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, said: "As we have said previously, we absolutely recognise the issues at Valleyfield Practice and are both working to provide a better level of service for patients in the short-term, while developing at pace a plan to support sustainability of GP cover at the practice over the longer term.

"Importantly, there has been no stage where Valleyfield Medical Practice has been without medical cover.

"Most often, cover is provided by a GP locum, with remote GP cover available and carrying out consultations when there is no medic physically on site.

"This is in addition to the experienced and highly-skilled multi-disciplinary team currently working to see patients within the practice.

"Valleyfield patients are also, where necessary, being supported by other neighbouring practices in West Fife to avoid the need to travel longer distances for primary healthcare."