HUME CRITICISES “NAIVE” ASSUMPTIONS
August 2, 2007 12:00 AM
South of Scotland MSP, Jim Hume, has condemned the Scottish Health Secretary as naïve for believing that she could keep Ayr Accident and Emergency open without jeopardising the planned improvements in community healthcare in Ayrshire.
Jim Hume said:
"It was naive for the Health Secretary to believe that she could reverse the decision to close Ayr Accident and Emergency without jeopardising the planned improvements to community healthcare and a new cancer unit.
"Now she has passed the buck to the Health Boards, setting them the almost certainly impossible task of reconfiguring the services in Ayrshire, within a limited budget and including extending the opening hours for Ayr Accident and Emergency, which has never been a 24 hour service.
The MSP Continued:-
Professor Kerr's report on the future of Scotland's health care made clear recommendations that the NHS should be seen as a service delivered predominantly in local communities rather than in hospitals, whilst ensuring sustainable and safe local services. Although the proposals meant that Ayr Hospital's A&E unit would close, significant investments were proposed for local services.
"At the start of June I asked for detailed advice as to whether any specific projects would be adversely affected by the Health Secretary's decision and I think now that we are seeing the impact.
"The Health Secretary must accept that she has made an error of judgement. If she is determined to see improvements in community healthcare in addition to running a full Accident and Emergency service in Ayrshire, significant extra investment will be needed.
"There can be absolutely no uncertainty when it comes to patient health and care."
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