Douglas Ross: Save our Surgeries campaign one of many local issues in Moray summer surgery tour
THE last week has seen my team and I in the constituency office in Forres work our way through the many cases that came up during the first part of my summer surgery tour.
With both parliaments in recess it is the perfect opportunity to get round lots of towns, villages and communities across Moray to hear from people in their area about local and national issues they want to raise.
Whether in a small village hall or the community centre in one of our bigger towns, people come with a range of issues to discuss and individual queries they hope we can assist with.
It’s also a great opportunity to see how busy our halls have been lately.
Some have been busier than others, but it is always encouraging to see how well looked after they are and how dedicated the hall committees are to providing these venues for local people and groups.
They are a great resource across Moray and I hope people continue to use them so they remain open and available for years to come.
On Wednesday night I was in Hopeman for a public meeting organised by the Save our Surgeries group. Often these meetings are held when I have to be in parliament so another benefit of recess is being available to attend public meetings.
Despite it being an evening meeting in the middle of summer, the big turnout shows there remains strong and significant public support for a GP surgery in Burghead and Hopeman.
The campaign continues in spite of disappointing feedback from officials and others who seem content to have patients travel out of their local village for GP appointments.
Everyone involved in the Save our Surgeries campaign have done great work to highlight this issue and demand answers. Wednesday’s meeting provided a useful update for local residents and it’s encouraging that the Scottish Health Secretary has now agreed to meet the group, having previously ruled this out when I asked him in the Scottish Parliament.
There were some really good new ideas and suggestions put forward and, as I said at the meeting, it seemed the powers that be thought they could close the surgeries and people would accept it.
Well, they didn’t count on the Save Our Surgeries group and passionate local residents who are campaigning with dedication and commitment, and I will keep backing them every step of the way.
We are also well through the Summer Show season and it has been great to see stock and exhibiters from Moray doing so well at shows across the circuit. On Thursday I headed off to the Black Isle Show which is always a great opportunity to meet up with lots of farmers from Moray.
It was also an opportunity for our oldest boy – Alistair – to sit on almost every tractor he saw in the showground. At four years-old he has already got the farming bug and was in his element seeing all the machinery on display.
Sadly our family holiday means he wont be able to do the same at Keith Show this weekend but I wish the organisers all the very best for another excellent event, particularly with this years format changing to cover Saturday and Sunday rather than the traditional Sunday and Monday. Keith Show is a great event drawing crowds from far and wide and I’m sure this year will be no different.
