FOUR new GPs are being welcomed at the Riverside Medical Practice in Musselburgh, taking the total number to 21.

Dr Angela Ruthven joins the practice on February 7, with Dr Graham Mackenzie following later in the month and a further GP shortly after.

A fourth GP, Dr Elske Tolkamp, has recently completed her GP training at the Riverside and now joins the team on a permanent basis.

The Riverside – the largest practice in East Lothian and one of the biggest in Scotland, with about 19,000 patients – has come under continued fire from patients, who have complained of difficulties contacting the practice by phone and booking an appointment.

Dr Richard Fairclough, GP partner, said: "We're sure our patients will join us in welcoming our four new GPs to the practice, joining our already-strong clinical team of 17 doctors, five specialist nurses, two treatment room nurses, specialist paramedic and three phlebotomists.

"At this time when GPs are in incredible demand across the country, it's great to see that so many of them have chosen to join Riverside both this year and in 2021.

"Access challenges remain and we absolutely appreciate that these can at times cause frustration for our patients.

"Continuing to focus on recruitment and retention is one of the most important things we can do as a practice, to ensure that our patients can access high-quality care."

The town's MSP Colin Beattie has held crisis talks with Humza Yousaf MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, to address the “wholly unacceptable” situation faced by patients over access to appointments.

READ MORE: MSP's crunch talks with Health Secretary over 'unacceptable' situation at Riverside Medical Practice

Following the head-to-head with Mr Yousaf, Mr Beattie said it was agreed by all parties that the demand for healthcare in Musselburgh had exceeded the capacity the practice, based at Musselburgh Primary Care Centre, could provide.

Riverside Medical Practice, East Lothian Health & Social Care Partnership and NHS Lothian/the Primary Care Contracts Organisation (PCCO) and Lothian LMC (Lothian Local Medical Committee) all agreed that continuing issues with access to primary care in Musselburgh were "distressing" and agreed a commitment to working collaboratively to explore potential solutions.