NHS Fife is considering opening two further mass coronavirus vaccination centres, Kingdom FM can reveal.
People aged under 50 in the region are already being given appointments to attend four large centres to get their jab - in Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy, Methil and Dunfermline.
But there have been calls for a facility to open in north-east Fife, to cut down journey times for people living in that area.
In response, Scott Garden - director of pharmacy and medicines at NHS Fife - told Kingdom FM: "Throughout our planning and delivery of the Covid-19 vaccination programme in Fife, we have kept our venue locations under review.
"This is to ensure we are able to get access to and safely staff a range of appropriately sized venues that meet the needs of the local population and each priority cohort appointment allocation.
"For the larger cohort 11 (starting from May 31) we are currently considering extending our first dose vaccination venues in Fife from four to six and hope to confirm these additional venue locations over the coming week."
North-east Fife MSP Willie Rennie is among those looking for more sites to be opened.
He said: "The vaccination teams and the NHS have done a good job with the roll out of the vaccine so far but the latest decision has caused a lot of problems for local people.
"Requiring those under 50 years old to go to Methil or Glenrothes rather than local centres is problematic.
"Many people with busy working lives and families are already stretched to the limit so a ninety-minute round trip to a centre is time that they often cannot afford.
"I have received lots of complaints from people who can’t understand why more local vaccination centres are not possible.
"A centre closer to home would make things much easier and would increase the take up of the vaccine too.
"That’s why I am asking the NHS and the university in St Andrews to work together to find a solution. If it is possible I’d like more centres including in the East Neuk too.
"The university may have underused capacity with the students not on campus at present. If that’s not possible perhaps a drive through facility may be an acceptable alternative like the arrangement at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh.
"I have written to the chief executive of NHS Fife and spoken to the chair to raise the concerns expressed by local people.
"I understand their desire to concentrate on a smaller number of centres but the impact on the lives of my constituents is significant which is why I want them to work with the university and others to find a solution."
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