HEALTH officials have confirmed that a full GP out of hours service at the Vale of Leven Hospital will be phased in from the end of January.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde says the service will be staffed by local GPs and members of the hospital's integrated care GP (ICGP) team.

The news follows years of disruption to the GP out-of-hours service which saw the facility unable to operate over many evenings, overnights and weekends.

The health board says the first phase will see the reintroduction of evening cover from 6pm until 11pm, Monday to Thursday, to add to the current overnight provision, which runs from 11pm-8am, seven days a week.

In an announcement on Friday afternoon, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said in a statement: "Plans are underway to seek to provide the service for the full out of hours period from the end of March 2021, providing appropriate staffing measures can be put in place. The fully reinstated service will cover evenings, overnight and weekends."

The ICGP team will also continue to deliver other out of hours medical cover across the Vale, including the hospital's medical assessment unit, the minor injuries unit, the admissions ward and the inpatient wards.

Susan Manion, interim chief officer for GP Out of Hours Services at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, praised the area's GPs for their positive response to discussions on a rota to staff the service.

She said: “We know how important the GP out of hours service is to the local community and we are extremely thankful to both the integrated care team at the Vale, who are able to deliver excellent quality care across a range of services, and our local GP leaders who have been working hard to establish arrangements with GPs in the area.

"Their support means we’re in position to engage with local GPs to come and join the service and to seek to ensure we have a full, robust and sustainable long-term proposition for GP out of hours."

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde operates an appointments system for GP out of hours services, and the health board says people should always call NHS24 on 111 to make an appointment.