| She said neurosurgery services would be retained at Ninewells Hospital and at hospitals in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh where the services are currently provided.
But the question is to what extent services will be retained and what will be provided locally in the longer term.
Ms Robison said a “neurosurgical presence” would be retained in each of the four units.
The Scottish Government is backing greater co-operation between the four sites and there are plans to move away from local management of local services towards a national service.
Exactly how the services will be shaped in future has still to be decided.
One specialist was guarded, saying colleagues would want an opportunity to scrutinise the report that was submitted to the Scottish Government and published along with today’s announcement.
Neurosurgery services in Scotland have been subject to repeated reviews over the last decade with fears the axe would fall. Most recently, supporters of the service in Aberdeen have lobbied for retention and gathered support through an online petition.
Eight years ago, Dundee delivered an old-fashioned petition, posting a parcel of paper with over 26,000 signatures calling for retention of neurosurgery services at Ninewells.
The Government’s official response to the report of the Neuroscience Implementation Group published today endorses its recommendation that a national service should be set up for neurosurgery, with services provided at Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as they are at present.
A statement by the Government today said that under the national service, clinicians will be required to work more closely together across sites to ensure that everyone in Scotland, no matter where they live, benefits from the same standard of neurological care.
Visiting the neurology unit in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary today, Ms Robison said, “I appreciate there has been a great deal of uncertainty around neurosurgical services for a number of years, and I hope that my announcement today allays the concerns of staff, patients and families and marks the start of a period of stability.
“There was no evidence in the report to support the case for moving to a single site for neurosurgical services, a scenario which I know many were concerned about.
“The innovative model proposed by the Group, which I am endorsing today, will see all four units continue to provide services locally, while promoting a uniformity of care that does not exist at present.
“By maintaining a neurosurgical presence in each of the units, we are directly addressing fears which have been expressed.
“It is now up to the staff at each of the four sites to work together to make sure the new model delivers maximum benefits.
“Given that we are not proposing any major change in service provision, and given that I want to bring an end to this period of uncertainty, I have decided that the Scottish Government will not be consulting on these proposals.” |
