A Highland and Isles Conservative candidate has hit out against what he describes as "spectacular failings in the NHS under the SNP government."
Malcolm Mackay who is standing on the regional list in May's Scottish elections says there should be a single health board to cover the whole of the Highlands and Isles.
The Tory hopeful has reviewed Audit Scotland’s report of NHS Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland.
He is "very disappointed" they rely on locum cover for much of their service.
Call for single Highlands and Islands health board
18 November 2015
Locums cost the Western Isles £1.2 million following a 40% rise in their use over five years, he added.
He criticised paying the four Highland and Island chief executives a total of half a million pounds per year.
Mr Mackay stated: “Does anyone really think we need four chief executives to do the job of one?
"One hundred years ago Scotland created the Highland and Islands Medical Service. It’s time is was brought back as a health board and the savings made spent on more staff and air ambulances.”
He added: “I think in terms of urgent care the Holyrood model, imported from England, doesn’t work. GPs out of hours deliver urgent care which is very different from their day job.
" I am calling for the Scottish Ambulance Service’s North division to take over GP
out-
He states the main challenge to the NHS in Highland and Islands is training and retention of staff.
"Scrapping enrolled nurses was a terrible mistake, and failing to hold on to GPs is a tragedy," he stressed.
“My plan for the NHS involves bringing back enrolled nurse training using New Zealand’s 18 month diploma in our local colleges, and to directly fund a GP returner’s scheme for those returning from abroad.”
“Enrolled nurses, trained at a third of the cost and half the price of staff nurses make up about 20% of nurses in Australian and New Zealand. That would mean a massive boost to local services here. “No empty promises, just commonsense joining the dots. It’s long overdue.”