Continued unscheduled care at Vale of Leven
The Vale of Leven Hospital in Scotland should continue to offer unscheduled care to local residents and visitors, according to a report.
This would ensure an appropriate balance between the delivery of local services and the need to provide the most appropriate specialist care.
This report has come after NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde had plans to close the hospital's unscheduled admission unit because of concerns over levels of anaesthetic cover.
Key conclusions of the review included that unscheduled medical admissions should continue at the Vale for patients who have been assessed by a doctor prior to admission as suitable for treatment at the Vale, and that unscheduled medical admissions who have not been assessed prior to admission and may need anaesthetic provision, should be diverted to a suitable hospital.
Welcoming the review, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "This report clearly shows that there are alternatives to closing the emergency unit which can retain vital services locally without compromising on patient safety."
The independent review was chaired by Professor Chris Dodds, of the Royal College of Anaethetists in
Words: Maria Bracken
