Doctors say radical plan to merge Scotland's health boards should be scrapped

Leading doctors are calling on the Scottish government to withdraw its plans to drastically reduce the number of health boards.

The new chairwoman of BMA Scotland, Dr Nora Murray-Cavanagh, said the proposal to cut the number from 14 to just two would be costly and time consuming - and that there was no clear evidence it would benefit patients.

First Minister John Swinney unveiled the plan a month ago , saying it would streamline management and free up resources for frontline care.

Health Secretary Angela Constance said she stood by the proposals and promised engagement with a range of groups including unions and NHS boards as the details were developed.

Swinney announced the plan as part of his Programme for Government at the start of September, describing it as the "most significant structural reform of our NHS in the devolution era".

Fourteen existing health boards would be reduced to just two Strategic Health Boards, covering the west and east of mainland Scotland, with different arrangements considered for the three island health boards.

Ministers said it would simplify administration and reduce duplication so that more resources could be directed to front line treatment as well as delivering more consistency in care across the country.

Copyright for this text belongs to BBC.