By Bill Heaney

Patients in Helensburgh and Lomond, which includes personnel at the vast HM Naval Base at Faslane and Coulport and their families, could face a round-trip of up to 230 miles to access sexual health services.

It comes after it emerged that Helensburgh’s specialist Sexual Health Clinic was discontinued following the retirement of a staff member last year.

Now patients, including women requiring the contraceptive coil, are being diverted to other clinics throughout Argyll & Bute, at locations in Lochgilphead, Campbeltown and Oban.

Health bosses are also supporting GPs to provide some services locally.

Residents requiring sexual health services were previously referred to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Sandyford Clinic, however, this arrangement was terminated in 2015.

Until last year, services for patients from Helensburgh and Lomond were then provided at the East King Street-based Victoria Integrated Care Centre.

But these were suspended after the doctor in charge retired.

Now patients are being urged to attend centres at the other three main locations in Argyll & Bute, while the area’s Health and Social Care Partnership attempts to persuade NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to host the service once more.

The HSCP, which oversees primary care provision, cites the high level of specialism required to provide such services as the reason behind failure to reinstate the clinic and say it needs instead to be linked to a larger site, such as the Sandyford.

But the Glasgow clinic is already under-pressure, with patients complaining of lack of availability since the Covid pandemic.

Health chiefs in Argyll & Bute also attribute the crisis in part to the fallout from the Covid pandemic and a shortage of appropriately skilled staff.

Dame Jackie Baillie, pictured right, Dumbarton constituency MSP and Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, said:  “It is unacceptable that residents in Helensburgh and Lomond should be directed to areas such as Oban and Campbeltown for provision of sexual health services.

“It is imperative that residents are able to easily access these services locally, in line with pledges made by NHS Highland when responsibility for service provision in Helensburgh and Lomond transferred to them.

“Services in Glasgow are already under pressure but it is unthinkable and untenable for patients in Helensburgh and Lomond to be directed across NHS Highland for the care they need.”