FIFE’S GP OUT OF HOURS CONSULTATION LAUNCHED AMID FEARS OVER TRANSPARENCY

Published date : 13 Aug 2018

FIFE’S GP OUT OF HOURS CONSULTATION LAUNCHED AMID FEARS OVER TRANSPARENCY

On Thursday 10th August, Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership, the body with ultimate responsibility for any decision to close GP out of hours services, published a list of its proposed public consultation events. The move comes following the Partnership’s decision to introduce ‘emergency contingency measures’ back in April.

Commenting on the public consultation, Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth said:

“I am glad Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership have now published their proposed list of public consultation events. I will work proactively to ensure the events in my constituency are well attended.

“I am, however, disappointed it has taken 123 days to get to this point. Engaging the public is at the heart of the Scottish Government’s transformative agenda for Health. Retrospective engagement is now proposed, but I remain concerned it is being conflated with a wider local agenda.

“Fife’s Health and Social Care Partnership need to publicise the exact purpose of these events with absolute transparency. If the partnership plans to permanently close Glenrothes Hospital’s GP out of hours service, then it should be upfront about it – and it should consult specifically and exclusively on that service.”

In 2013 Glenrothes Hospital’s out of hours service faced closure by the previous NHS Fife Board – a move which was eventually overturned.

Following the integration of Health and Social Care the decisions on the future out of hours services now ultimately rest with the members of Fife’s Integrated Joint Board.

GP numbers in Fife are higher in 2018 than they were comparatively in 2017.

ENDS

Local Reporters, East Fife Mail, Glenrothes Gazette, Courier (Fife), HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE