Scottish doctors have expressed deep concern over the number of care home closures and the impact on NHS services this winter.

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh urged the government to get around the table with the independent care sector to tackle the crisis as a “matter of urgency” with one care home currently closing every week.

Andrew Elder, president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, said: “The College is deeply concerned that care homes in Scotland are closing at the rate of one every week. Care homes not only provide long term care for older people but often act as a bridge from hospital to home.”

The College warned of the knock-on impact on NHS services if care home capacity continues to decline this winter.

Social care minister Maree Todd said: “Social care services are absolutely fundamental to our communities and its clear how challenges like energy costs, the costs of living and Brexit have really impacted the recruitment and retention of staff. The RCPE and Scottish Care have raised important issues and we continue to engage with them and other partners regularly to build a more sustainable workforce that feels truly valued and properly rewarded for their work.

“We’ve increased pay and are working towards our commitment to increase spend in social care by 25% by the end of this Parliament, an increase of over £840 million. In the long term we believe the National Care Service will help us and our partners to provide consistency in further improved pay and conditions, access to training and development and ensuring a career in social care is attractive and rewarding – but we are beginning to make those improvements now.

“As well as speaking with care providers, unions, councils and organisations, this summer we are visiting communities to speak to people receiving care, their loved ones and those working in the care sector. We are committed to supporting the social care sector improve, and we are determined that the people within in help drive those changes and I would encourage anyone with an interest to see about joining us at one of these events in person, or online.”