CLAIRE BAKER has called for the new Health Secretary to deal with the GP crisis in Fife.

The surgeries of the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area are all struggling to fill gaps and it is something that is also being experienced in other parts of the county.

The call has come from the Mid Scotland and Fife MSP as it has been announced by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership that the out-off hour services will remained closed overnight until January 2019.

On Thursday in Parliament, MSPs approved the appointment of Jeane Freeman as Health Secretary.

Kelty woman, Claire Baker MSP, said: “The previous Health Secretary (Shona Robison) buried her hand in the sand over the GP crisis facing Fife, unaware of the true extent of the problems facing practices and patients throughout the Kingdom.

"That is why the new Health Secretary must promise to make tackling the issue one of her top priorities in the brief.

“The Government readily acknowledge that Fife is facing recruitment and retention issues, and now we see that out-of-hours in Glenrothes, Dunfermline and St Andrews is staying closed overnight till 2019. This is unacceptable.

“Yet Fife Health and Social Care cannot magic GPs out of thin air. The SNP have been in Government for over 10 years and the failure to train and retain GPs lies at their door.”