Scotland’s leading GP has warned doctors are still waiting for face masks to protect them from coronavirus two weeks after the government promised to deliver.
Dr Andrew Buist, chairman of the British Medical Association’s GP committee in Scotland, complained as the virus spreads in Europe.
Dr Buist , based in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, raised concern on social media.
He warned on his Twitter account: "Still waiting in Blairgowrie on the PPE face masks promised by Scottish Gov over 2 weeks ago - concerning as general practice is the frontline for coronavirus healthcare presentation."
He published his concern on the same day as Scotland’s health secretary Jeane Freeman announced preparations are increasing.
She said officials are "expecting an outbreak".
In a statement today, Dr Buist told the Record: "People returning from coronavirus hit countries and displaying symptoms have been advised in the first instance to either call 111 or phone their GPs in Scotland.
"The clear advice to patients who suspect they may have coronavirus is not to attend their GP practice and instead seek support by phone, but there is still a risk that practices may come into contact with patients with symptoms of the virus.
"Therefore it’s important that every GP practice is provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks. We have raised this with the Scottish Government and it is important there is an effective response."
More than 400 people have been tested for the virus in Scotland but have all returned negative results.
A dozen towns in Italy are in quarantine. Austria, Croatia, Switzerland and Greece say they have cases involving people who visited Italy.
Fears for an outbreak in Scotland increased after fans returned from the weekend’s rugby international in Rome.
Two testing labs in Glasgow and Edinburgh will speed up identification of cases.
GPs have been promised face masks and other protective gear.
A Scottish Government spokesman later insisted supplies were sent to health boards to pass on.
The spokesman said: "All health boards have received adequate supplies of masks to distribute to GP practices. We have asked all boards to ensure that all practices in their area have received the masks.
"The masks have been issued as a precautionary measure and to ensure that practices have readily available supplies."
