Press Release
5th August 2003
Maternity
Decision Not a Rubber Stamp Job
MSP
for Greenock & Inverclyde, Duncan McNeil, has welcomed Health Minister
Malcolm Chisholm’s assurance that he will not simply rubber stamp Argyll and
Clyde Health Board’s under-fire plans for maternity services.
Mr
McNeil, who was speaking today after meeting the Minister to discuss his
concerns over the Board’s move to centralise all consultant-led inpatient
maternity services at Paisley’s Royal Alexandria Hospital, said he was pleased
that the Minister had undertaken to carefully consider the merits of the case.
“I
am somewhat heartened by the Minister’s assurance that he will not rush into
rubber stamping this decision, but will examine carefully the points which we
have been advancing,” he said. “He
certainly seems more than happy to listen to our arguments.
“I
appreciate that the Minister is not in an easy position.
He will be under immense pressure from powerful vested interests in the
NHS not to make the unprecedented move of rejecting the Board’s decision.
“But our arguments are
strong and the Minister has shown a willingness to listen to them, so there is
no excuse for not fighting on.”
Mr
McNeil added that he had also been pleased with the feedback he has received
from colleagues on the Health Committee regarding his request that it conduct a
full inquiry into the whole issue of centralisation in the NHS.
“I
am pleased to report that the initial signs are that my request has been fairly
well received,” he said. “No
decision on the Committee’s work programme for the coming session will be
taken until the end of this month and I will actively continue to work to build
cross party support for such an inquiry.”
ENDS
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