A hospital in West Dunbartonshire is to continue its out of hours “unscheduled care” despite fears it would be cancelled.
It had been thought that some care services at the Vale of Leven Hospital at Alexandria would be victim to cuts, but in fact some routine services previously offered by the hospital, in urology, ophthalmology and renal dialysis, are to be restored.
Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced the plans, saying it would put an end to “damaging uncertainty” surrounding the hospital.
Board chairman Andrew Robertson said: “When we took responsibility for running the Vale in 2006, we made a commitment to models of service that would be safe and sustainable.
“That we are now in a position to be able to assure a busy, vital future for the hospital is due to the support of the cabinet secretary in assessing our proposals and also to the GPs, clinical staff, managers and community representatives who pulled together to offer viable solutions.”
In proposals issued in 2007 up to 150 jobs would have been lost under a scaling back of the hospital’s services, but now no jobs will be lost and eight extra consultant jobs will be created.
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