Claims services at Perth Royal Infirmary are being eroded have been rejected by NHS Tayside.
Concerns had been raised following a Freedom of Information request which Murdo Fraser MSP said revealed “the gradual downscaling of elective operations at the hospital”.
It showed in 2012 surgeons at PRI conducted on average 471 elective operations a month but in 2015 it had reduced to 347 per month.
Mr Fraser said residents suspected NHS Tayside would like to shift capacity to Ninewells and other large hospitals in order to reduce costs.
“This year I have heard from several constituents who were unable to get an operation at PRI and were instead treated at Ninewells despite this option being far from convenient,” said Mr Fraser.
“For residents in the far reaches of the NHS Tayside region, including those in Highland Perthshire, the prospect of travelling all the way to Dundee for an operation is unappealing, particularly for the elderly or those using public transport.
“I fundamentally believe that capacity must be retained at PRI and would call on NHS bosses and the SNP to explain these statistics and publicly commit to the hospital’s long term future.
“It is vital that Perth and Kinross is served by at least one easily accessible large hospital and I will be fighting for that over the coming months.”
Lorna Wiggin, director of acute services for NHS Tayside, responded, saying: “NHS Tayside is absolutely committed to continuing to provide a wide range of services at PRI for the people of Perth and Kinross.
“NHS Tayside would like to reassure communities in Perth and Kinross that PRI is, and will continue to be, an integral part of our available elective capacity providing a range of services including orthopaedics, general surgery, urology and gynaecology.
“The simple fact is that we need PRI to deliver the elective procedures required for the people of Tayside.
“Last winter there was a specific set of circumstances which saw patients being delayed in hospital and an increase in emergency medical admissions, resulting in elective procedures being deferred. This was similar to the position experienced by other boards across Scotland.”