A SENIOR Conservative councillor is demanding the return to full face-to-face GP appointments in Inverclyde.

David Wilson says he has been inundated with complaints about the time it is taking for patients to see a doctor as the restricted regime put in place since the beginning of the pandemic continues.

The Tories recently brought forward a debate at the Scottish Parliament calling for the government to set a target date for increasing in-person GP appointments.

Councillor Wilson believes the situation locally is not sustainable after 18 months of disruption.

He told the Telegraph: "I have had many complaints about the time it takes to see a doctor - first of all the time it takes to get a phone consultation and then a physical appointment.

"This wait varies from practice to practice - mine is currently 10 days for a telephone appointment with a doctor.

"I understand some practices are longer.

"There is no reason for GPs not to see patients face-to-face with the current precautions.

"Some people need to be examined to establish what is wrong with them.

"Face to face appointments should commence as soon as possible."

Speaking during the debate at Holyrood, Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said 'systemic failures' were holding back 'overwhelmed' GPs from seeing more patients in-person.

Dr Gulhane MSP, the Scottish Conservative shadow public health minister, said: "The SNP-Green government’s refusal to set a target for restoring normal operations in our GP surgeries is extremely disappointing.

“The SNP cannot hide behind Covid.

"For years, they’ve been warned that GPs were overwhelmed and underfunded, yet they buried their heads in the sand.

"Now, as we recover from the worst public health crisis of our lifetimes, the SNP government is continuing to ignore the needs of doctors and patients.

“By refusing to set out a timetable for bringing back normal face-to-face service, [health secretary] Humza Yousaf is letting down thousands of people across Scotland."

The Scottish Government says guidance was sent out to surgeries this month, saying there was no longer any need to triage every patient.

It added: “GP practices have remained open and are a key part of the community services dealing with non-Covid medical care throughout the pandemic.

“We’ve invested £20 million in GP practices to cover Covid-19 related expenditure and the continuation of GP services and in 2021-22 the Primary Care Fund is increasing from £195m to £250m in direct support of general practice – providing support for delivery of the new GP contract and for wider primary care reform.

“Specific guidance to general practices was issued on September 7 making clear that there is no longer a need to triage every patient, although they should continue to screen patients for Covid before seeing them face-to-face.”