Later this month a new walk-in GP service will open in Benbecula.

The aim of the clinic is to offer access to same day unscheduled care for both local residents and a growing number of visitors.

£580,000 funding has been granted from the Scottish Government to establish the service, which will be located at Ospadal Uibhist agus Bharraigh.

To begin with the clinic will run as a service for same day unscheduled care for temporary residents and visitors, freeing capacity in the current GP services.

It is anticipated that from November this year, the service will expand to be available as a walk-in provision for residents of Berneray, North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist and Eriskay, as an alternative to attending their own GP practice.

In recent years, GP practices have reported significant growth in temporary resident registrations, which impacts on their ability deliver same day care for their own resident patients.