I was delighted to see that the decision taken early on by the SNP government to save the Accident and Emergency Department at Monklands Hospital - which was of course a manifesto pledge - was further vindicated today with the publication of a report by the Independent Scrutiny Panel established to review the decisions of NHS Lanarkshire that led to the proposals to close the A&E in the first place. The Panel was set up by Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon after she reversed the decision by the previous Labour/Lib-Dem administration to close A&E departments at Monklands and Ayr Hospitals.
People deserve a first-class health service, and easy access to accident and emergency services. The report has totally vindicated the decision by the SNP Government to save the department at Monklands and has also been critical of newer plans submitted by NHS Lanarkshire which would still try to close or reduce intensive care services at Monklands. These proposals received short shrift from the consultants who work in A&E in the area, and now the Independent Scrutiny Panel has said that the changing demographics in Lanarkshire "does not necessarily require a reduction in the level of emergency services (such as emergency surgery, intensive care and emergency medical services) currently provided at Monklands Hospital."
It is now incumbent upon NHS Lanarkshire to accept this report and continue to provide the full level of emergency services currently provided at Monklands.
You can read more at the following links:
http://www.independentscrutinypanels.org.uk/resources/Final+Report+Lan.pdf
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/7186550.stm
http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/news/display.var.1962449.0.Scheme_to_shut_AEs_strongly_criticised_in_review.php
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