INVERCLYDE'S MSP has written to Scotland's health secretary seeking the establishment of a commission to 'future-proof' the healthcare system.

Stuart McMillan's move comes in the wake of cuts to the GP out of hours service in Inverclyde and news of further reductions to NHS dentistry locally.

Mr McMillan has declared that he wants to ensure that services and facilities are 'fit for purpose'.

In his letter to cabinet secretary Neil Gray, Mr McMillan refers to the challenges facing NHS Dentistry as just one example of why he is renewing his call for root and branch reform of NHS Scotland.

Mr McMillan said that it is ‘unsustainable’ to continue with the status quo.

He said that his constituents in Inverclyde are ‘crying out’ for Scotland’s NHS to be more responsive to local needs.

Mr McMillan cited his 'long-held concerns' that health boards appear to place greater focus on densely populated areas within their remit compared to less populated locations.

He hopes a cross-party approach can be found to ensure any Commission and subsequent reform is free from politicking – and has stressed that decision-makers with experience in healthcare reform are at the heart.

Mr McMillan said: “Last year marked the 75th anniversary of our NHS and while we should of course celebrate its achievements since its inception, I believe we must seriously consider reviewing its operations at all levels to ensure it continues delivering for patients for decades to come.

“Health issues have dominated my casework load during my 17 years as an MSP, and sadly I do not see that changing unless improvements are made regarding the running of our NHS.

“I would like to see more localised control and delivery over routine healthcare provision by increasing the responsibilities of Health and Social Care Partnerships. This would ultimately mean money transferring to HSCPs from health boards to deliver this.

“I do not downplay the importance of Centres of Excellence, and by their very nature some specialist services may be more centralised – but I am nonetheless confident that delivering services as locally as possible could help increase local accountability, reduce vast bureaucratic systems, and provide the additional resource to increase frontline staffing.

“I’m under no illusion that budgets are tight, particularly after 14 years of Tory austerity, but for me that is exactly why we need reform – to identify where resources can be invested for improved outcomes for patients.

“There is of course the issue of a new UK Government who appear to have an agenda of increasing privateers into the NHS. If this does happen and Scotland therefore suffers from a reduction in NHS spending, then the task of reform will become even more challenging.

“Time will tell whether this plays out, but fundamentally, I believe we need to assess the levels of duplication and wastage across our whole NHS to find efficiencies for the benefit of both patients and staff.

“After 76 years of our NHS, it’s only right that we consider how new technologies and ways of working can extend its lifespan long into the future.”