Patients at a Lanarkshire GP practice have been told to only request to see a doctor in emergencies - as they don't have enough staff to cope with demand.
The Stonelaw Practice in Rutherglen has messaged patients and asked them to "consider whether it is necessary" to see a GP over the next few weeks.
Their message also stated they will be running a reduced service throughout the summer, due to staff being either on sick leave or on holiday.
The surgery is already reliant on having two or three locum GPs in to cover for absences and cannot secure additional temporary medics from NHS Lanarkshire to fill further gaps.
A message sent out by the surgery states: "The Stonelaw Practice has notified NHS Lanarkshire of our plans to reduce our service over the next few weeks due to long term illness and holidays.
"This week we have 2-3 GPs covering and cannot get any additional cover. We will try to maintain an emergency service. In the meantime, please consider whether it is necessary to speak to a GP. We thank you for your consideration."
Representatives from a leading medical union have told Lanarkshire Live the problem is being replicated all across Scotland, as a staff shortage hits the profession hard.
Dr Andrew Buist, chair of the British Medical Association's Scottish GP Committee, said: "GP surgeries are under extreme pressure, with increased demand and at times unmanageable workloads, made worse right now due to high levels of staff absence with Covid.
"We are hearing of more clinicians considering cutting their hours or retiring from the profession completely due to exhaustion and burnout. The simple fact is we do not have enough GPs to meet patient demand.
"We face a huge challenge in terms of recruiting and retaining GPs in Scotland, and we need to keep doing all we can to make the job as attractive and competitive as possible – and ensure staff who are currently working long hours to do as much as they can for their patients are taken care of.”
NHS Lanarkshire admitted there are "no straightforward solutions" to the current problems at Stonelaw, which is based in the Rutherglen primary care centre on Stonelaw Road.
Alistair MacKintosh, primary care manager at the health board, said: "We appreciate the frustrations and concerns of local residents when their GP is not able to provide a service.
"There are fundamental pressures facing GP practices, not just in Lanarkshire but across Scotland.
"These pressures were already causing issues before the Covid-19 pandemic but the pandemic has added further challenges due to long term staff absences and the recruitment and retention of staff.
"Unfortunately, are no straightforward solutions to relieve the pressures and as GPs are independent contractors it is the decision of GPs on what model of care they provide. This may include a hybrid model of options which balances the practice circumstances and capacity and patient need."
*Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here .
And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Why not head to our page and give us a like and share.
