A Lanarkshire GP practice has been reduced to emergency appointments only because they don't have enough staff to meet demand.
Patients have been told to "consider whether it is necessary" to see a doctor as a reduced service is introduced at the Stonelaw Practice in Rutherglen.
The message explained that staff sickness and holidays means they can no longer offer a full range of services, Lanarkshire Live reports.
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The struggling surgery already makes use of locum GPs to cover absences, and have been unable to find others to help out.
The statement explains: "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 two to three 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."
Medical union chiefs say the Rutherglen problem is replicated around the country.
Dr Andrew Buist, from 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."
And NHS Lanarkshire says it sympathises with patients, but there is no easy solution to the problems at Stonelaw.
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."
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