COWDENBEATH MSP Annabelle Ewing has spoken up for the importance of Queen Margaret Hospital having a long term role in the provision of out of hours care.

Ms Ewing is very aware how important an out of hours service at the Dunfermline Hospital to her constituents who are only 20 minutes from the service as opposed to twice that time if they have to go to Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital.

Taking part in a debate in the Scottish Parliament on NHS Fife Out of Hours services, Ms Ewing said: “I congratulate my Fife colleague Jenny Gilruth (MSP for Kinglassie) on bringing to the chamber this important and timely debate on the position of out-of-hours primary care in Fife.

"I, too, as MSP for Cowdenbeath, raised concerns when the initial announcement was made out of the blue, in April this year, that out-of-hours care would be offered only at one site—the Victoria hospital in Kirkcaldy—rather than over the four sites that were being used prior to the announcement.

“I wrote to the director of the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, Michael Kellet, and had several discussions with him on the matter. In those discussions, I raised a number of issues, including capacity at the Victoria and transport.

"I asked what arrangements were in place for those who did not have access to a car; those who are lone parents with other children at home as well as a sick child who needs medical attention; and those who have long-term conditions such as chronic asthma.

“Hence, in the context of the options that are being proposed by NHS Fife at this time, option 2 seems preferable to option 1. Option 2 would see the Victoria and the Queen Margaret open overnight for out-of-hours urgent care, which would represent a better service for my constituents".

The MSP added: “However, the important issue of transport still remains to be clarified. In that regard, I note that page 18 of the consultation document says that Fife Health and Social Care Partnership will, with a view to ensuring that people have equal access to urgent care, 'develop a procedure to support people who have difficulties getting to an appointmen'”.

“I am seeking clarification about what exactly that means, and I ask the Minister to confirm that he will seek appropriate assurances from the Health and Social Care Partnership on the important matter of transport, which has been raised by every member who has spoken today.

“The way in which the matter has been dealt with so far by Fife Health and Social Care Partnership has not been optimal, to say the least. "However, we need to see longer-term out-of-hours arrangements in place, and, as far as my constituents are concerned, it is vital that the excellent role that the Queen Margaret hospital plays in the community is not diminished in any way.”