A doctor will be disciplined by his NHS board after forcing pro-independence literature on a patient he was treating.
The incident took place at Borders General Hospital on September 7, where the medical professional asked the man how he would be voting in Thursday’s referendum.
Once he discovered the patient was a No supporter, he handed reading materials which argued in favour of Yes.
Scottish Conservative MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire John Lamont said: “The idea that a patient being treated in hospital can be subjected to referendum propaganda by a doctor is astonishing.
“It seems nowhere is safe from the Yes campaign’s aggressive approach to this vote. With only a day of campaigning to go, it’s too late for Alex Salmond to rein these people in.
“But it’s something that should have been done long ago. The Yes camp has already shamefully tried to politicise the NHS, and it seems this tactic has now actually reached the bedside of patients.”
Mr Lamont, who is the man’s local MSP, wrote to NHS Borders about the incident, which was confirmed by the man in charge of the health board.
In his correspondence, NHS Borders chief executive Calum Campbell said: “All employees have received communications on pre-referendum guidance from the Scottish Government. This explains how staff of public bodies are required to maintain political impartiality in the way they go about their public duties in this period leading up to the Scottish referendum.
“The member of staff involved in this incident has now been identified and spoken to and I can assure you the NHS Borders disciplinary procedure will be duly followed.”