A SCOTTISH Tory councillor has resigned from a committee she chaired after publicly saying campaigners who looked to prevent the closure of local GP surgeries should “get a life”.
Tory councillor Tracy Colyer (Keith and Cullen) stepped down from the Moray Integration Joint Board, which controls health and social care in the area, after making the comments to a virtual meeting – and first reported by The Northern Scot.
The meeting was discussing a Scottish Government report about how closures of GP surgery branches in Burghead and Hopeman were handled.
Colyer took aim at the Save Our Surgeries (SOS) group, which campaigned against the closures, for not turning up to all the meeting.
"They literally – one, two, three – four that they have attended out of the 17,” she said.
"They don’t hear what they want so they don't come. They want a surgery and they ain't getting one.”
Colyer also said she knew people in her ward who had to travel further than patients in Burghead or Hopeman to attend a GP appointment.
"It’s their choice of where to live,” she said.
"I know something has been taken away but it wasn’t our choice to take it away.”
When it comes to decisions about health and social care services, Colyer added: "People have to come with you.
"So many of them can't because they are blinkered and say: 'Oh, back in the day, my milk was delivered.’ "Well it isn’t delivered any more. You have to go to Tesco. Get a life."
Colyer apologised after The Northern Scot approached her.
She said: "It's extremely regrettable that an informal conversation that wasn't intended for broadcast was heard.
“I apologise unreservedly to those I spoke about in a disrespectful manner, there is no excuse for it and I’ll take any criticism of my comments on board.
“Given the open and professional dialogue the MIJB needs to have with the public, campaigners and fellow committee members, I feel the right thing to do is to stand down from my role as board chair and from the MIJB with immediate effect.
“This is a clear lesson on public life that I have learned the hard way and I once again offer my sincere apologies to those I may have offended with these off-hand remarks.
“I hope the stakeholders who engage positively with the MIJB can reflect that I take full responsibility for my comments and will continue to work with us in the interests of Moray's health and social care.”
