PRESS RELEASE

November 3rd , 2008

U-turn in health visitor row

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has hailed the efforts of the local campaigners who have forced health bosses into a re-think.

Greater Glasgow Health Board had planned to change the role of health visitors by removing them from practices and creating centralised teams.

Doctors feared the controversial revamp could lead to a breakdown in communication between agencies and would also bring an end to baby clinics within practices.

But public pressure has forced a U-turn and health bosses will now have a rethink its review of health visiting.

Duncan McNeil MSP said: "I am delighted that the efforts of campaigners, including some of my own constituents, have stopped these changes being rushed through.

“They would clearly have been detrimental to health provision in the area and were rightly challenged, so I can only congratulate them on their success.”

The result follows an extensive campaign by GPs against what they say was a “flawed” review. Just last week a delegation of GPs visited the Scottish Parliament to hand over a petition with 21,916 in protest against the proposed service changes.

ENDS