MSP Kenneth Gibson has hit back at ‘misinformation’ being spread regarding the ‘alleged closure of West Kilbride Medical Practice’.

He blasted regional list Tory MSP for claims made about the future of the practice.

Mr Gibson said: “NHS Ayrshire and Arran has made it clear from the outset that closure of West Kilbride Medical Practice is not on the cards and Jamie Greene and his colleagues should know that.

“I have delivered a newsletter to every home to clarify matters.

“The local Tories may be pleased that their “surgery is closing” mantra is upsetting some constituents, but I would advise them to weigh up their attempts at political pointscoring against the wellbeing of the local community.

“I am actually dealing with patients who think there is no point in contacting West Kilbride Medical Practice because they have been told it is no longer there.

“It doesn’t take a genius to predict this problem will increase if this misinformation continues to be repeated.

“For politicians, or anyone else for that matter, to cause such a level of misinformation is unacceptable and indefensible.

“The Scottish International Medical Training Fellowship saw more than 50 trainee doctors recruited to NHS Scotland since 2015 and which aims to double the number of trainee doctors to over 100 over the next two years.

“The Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative which enabled NHS Ayrshire & Arran to attract one of the doctors who has been working at West Kilbride Medical Practice”