Ayrshire Post

Shake- up threat to health board

- Michael Reynolds

Ayrshire’s health board could be under threat from a radical NHS shake- up led by the SNP government.

Nicola Sturgeon’s party outlined plans to review the number of regional bodies delivering health care in a bid to save money.

And insiders believe the number of boards could be cut from the current 14 to as few as three, putting NHS Ayrshire and Arran at risk of being merged with neighbours in Lanarkshir­e, Inverclyde or Greater Glasgow.

Any merger could lead to concerns about staffing levels and patient services in an already cashstrapp­ed health service.

Ayr MSP John Scott warned against any hasty centralisa­tion of Scottish health boards, fearing a loss of local input.

He said: “While I am often at odds with NHS Ayrshire and Arran I would not want to see them being subsumed without much careful thought into a larger entity which might not value input from local politician­s.

“There are examples of centralisa­tion, for example with Police Scotland, where this has led to a loss of local decision making and reduced morale.

“While, of course, it is important to save money wherever possible, this proposed measure is something that much thought will need to be given to before proceeding.”

One long- serving NHS board member has said he believes five health boards – four mainland and one Highlands and Islands body – could serve the country better than the current 14.

Last year the Ayrshire Post revealed that health board chiefs had been forced to draft in nurses to fill in on the on- call GP service and a crippling shortage of junior doctors led to a global search.

And in May we revealed that bosses had ordered a major shake- up of medical teams, with 48 speech therapy workers in the middle of a large- scale restructur­e.

The SNP manifesto said existing boundaries between health and integratio­n bodies would not stop them delivering local services effectivel­y.

It said: “The number, structure and regulation of health boards - and their relationsh­ips with local councils - will be reviewed with a view to reducing unnecessar­y back room duplicatio­n and removing structural impediment­s to better care.”

The SNP government have already courted controvers­y over their centralisa­tion of public services.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: “The SNP’s track record on mergers isn’t a good one, from the shambolic creation of Police Scotland to college mergers which saw more than 150,000 fewer students going to college.

“Any moves to reorganise our NHS will naturally be met with concern with patients and staff.

“This cannot be an excuse for yet more cuts to our NHS, which is facing unberable amounts of pressure under the SNP government.”

Public health minister Aileen Campbell said the Scottish Government would reveal its plans during this parliament­ary term.

She said: “As ministers have already pledged, we are committed to reviewing the number, structure and regulation of health boards and their relationsh­ips with local councils.

“Work on this will take place in due course, before the end of this parliament in 2021.”

 ??  ?? All change? NHS Ayrshire & Arran could be merged with other health boards
All change? NHS Ayrshire & Arran could be merged with other health boards

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom