Meeting of the Parliament 28 September 2016
I look forward to having as much public engagement as is possible, including public meetings and other ways of engaging. I think that that is important.
I return to the service change proposals. In the case of the plans to transfer paediatric in-patient and day cases from the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley to the new Royal hospital for children, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will discuss the next steps at its meeting in October. The board has already been clear that, should it move to proceed with those paediatric proposals, that would represent major service change and therefore it would come to me for decision.
With regard to the trauma orthopaedic services at Monklands hospital, NHS Lanarkshire—supported by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland—has been clear that the interim changes are necessary to ensure the safety, quality and resilience of local services. I have been assured that the interim plans will not materially impact on the provision of accident and emergency services at any of the three main hospitals in Lanarkshire. The health board has repeatedly given assurances that it is committed to retaining three district general hospitals with full A and E departments as part of its longer-term plans. Those longer-term plans will constitute major change and, as such, are now subject to formal public consultation; they will come to me for decision. I encourage all local stakeholders to play a full part in the consultation in order to help shape the future of those local services.