The decision by the Board of NHS Lanarkshire to recommend the retention of all three A&E units in Lanarkshire has been welcomed by Linda Fabiani MSP.The announcement follows the publication of a report from an Independent Scrutiny Panel which examined the original the choice by NHS Lanarkshire to close the Accident & Emergency department at Monklands Hospital.

The health board will now make a recommendation to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, that they keep open the emergency department.

Commenting after the Board meeting had finished Strathaven based Ms Fabiani said:

“I greatly welcome this decision by NHS Lanarkshire; it is in the best interests of the people of this area that they all have ready access to accident and emergency services within the immediate area.

“The original decision to close an A&E unit was found to have been based on dated evidence and did not represent a fair balance of expert opinion.  It has now been determined that the centralisation of A&E services would not necessarily provide benefits to patients and the health board has now made new recommendations that will build on the current service.

“This is great news for the people of Lanarkshire and proof that this Scottish Government is prepared to take on board the views and opinions of local communities. This is a victory for people right across Lanarkshire who campaigned to save their health service from cuts that would impact on their lives”.

Further information on the A&E Review can be viewed on the NHS Lanarkshire’s website: http://www.nhslanarkshire.co.uk/Board+Papers+and+Meeting+Dates/January+2008.htm

Strathaven based SNP MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed the publication of new guidance on hospital car parking issued by the Scottish Government to NHS Boards which, will ensure that patients and staff are protected from the introduction of excessive car parking charges.

The guidance, drawn up by a review group, states that health boards must operate a presumption against parking charges and where charging is used, all reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that these charges are not excessive for people working at or visiting a hospital.

The key principles of the guidance are:

* NHS Boards have a responsibility to work with local and regional partners to help to ensure good access for patients, carers, visitors and staff to NHS sites

* Car parking should be provided free of charge at most NHS sites

* Boards may make reasonable charges for car parking as part of a planned approach to facilitating access to sites, and to cover the costs of car park provision

* Boards must ensure that there is a reasonable allocation of car parking spaces available to allow patients and carers to attend clinics and appointments, including access for emergencies, and there should be clear information available to patients on how to get to the site including parking arrangements and any concessions

* Boards must ensure that a reasonable allocation of spaces is also made available for staff, reflecting the overall availability of car parking on the site

* Arrangements for allocating staff parking, which must reflect the needs of good employment practice and essential car use required for the delivery of services, must be agreed through local staff partnership arrangements

It also states that boards should not look at parking management in isolation, but should consider wider travel and access issues. Additionally schemes which impose uniform charges and conditions across a number of sites are not acceptable under the new guidance.

Boards are also instructed to publicise more widely concessionary parking and operate them more flexibly.

Commenting on the review of the guidance Ms Fabiani said:

“The review group has endorsed the view that, in general, car parking at hospitals should be provided free of charge.

“This is good news for hospital patients and staff alike. NHS Boards now have a clearer system of guidance that will help them formulate policies around this issue which can be a problem on some hospital sites.

“It should also provide some reassures to patients and staff at various hospitals, including Hairmyres, that from today they have greater clarity on this matter.”

The report from the Independent Scrutiny Panel which looked at the decision by NHS Lanarkshire to close the Accident & Emergency department at Monklands Hospital and reconfigure health services elsewhere in Lanarkshire has been welcomed by Central Scotland MSP Linda Fabiani. The report has endorsed the decision taken by the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Nicola Sturgeon, to keep open the emergency department and raises questions about the previous governments endorsement of its closure.

Commenting on the report Ms Fabiani said:

“The report by the Independent Scrutiny Panel has justified the SNP Governments decision to have this looked at.

“The independent panel has found that the health board’s decision to downgrade Monklands was based on dated evidence and did not represent a fair balance of expert opinion.

“The panel determined that the centralisation of A&E services would not necessarily provide benefits to patients. With the panels chairman stating that NHS Lanarkshire had not made a convincing case for these changes.

“The Independent Scrutiny Panel has recognised the potential for the current service to build on itself through clinical decision units and the extension of minor injuries provision into the community whilst maintaining three A&E units.

“This is great news for the people of Lanarkshire and proof that this Scottish Government is prepared to take on board the views and opinions of local communities.

“Andy Kerr MSP, by contrast remains the lone voice in the wilderness with no support for his opinion on this matter as he remains the only advocate of closing community health services in Lanarkshire, although this is no surprise given that he was health minister when the original decision was taken. 

“Mr Kerr has in the past foretold of death and destruction if the Monklands A&E was kept open, I’m sure the doctors and nurses who work in NHS Lanarkshire will take great delight in proving him wrong.

“This report is a victory for communities across Lanarkshire who campaigned to save their health service from cuts that would impact on their communities. 

“The Independent Scrutiny Panel is the first of its kind but, this Scottish Government intends it will continue its work to monitor the decisions of public bodies that have major to decisions to make, in order to protect the best interests of our communities and ensure that community involvement is at the heart of future decision making.  

Strathaven resident and Central Scotland MSP Linda Fabiani, has welcomed new plans for greater public involvement in the NHS which could lead to direct elections for some members of health boards.

The SNP Government is proposing to introduce a Local Healthcare Bill to enhance the role patients and the public play in decisions about how local health services are designed and delivered. The consultation asks for views on how this might best be done.

Speaking after the consultation was launched Ms Fabiani said:

“The consultation on the Local Healthcare Bill, is part of the SNP Governments desire to improve public and community involvement in the work of NHS boards.

“In East Kilbride we have seen recent decisions to change the way NHS services are delivered raise strong feelings in the local community here and in Monklands when NHS Lanarkshire wished to close an accident and emergency department. Many people believe that the views of local people are not taken sufficient account of when NHS Boards make these decisions.

“NHS Boards have difficult decisions to take at times but I believe that consideration of the views of local people should be at the heart of the process, and that the process for any service changes must be open to scrutiny. This consultation should lead to improved public and community involvement with NHS Boards.

“Members of the public can access the consultation document at  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/208149/0055207.pdf  and I would encourage people to take a look and consider making a response before the closing date of the 1^st April 2008. ”