Swinney pays visit to project
John Swinney MSP with Support Choices staff A local politician visited a new project in Highland Perthshire which helps people get the social care and support that they need.
Perthshire North MSP, Mr John Swinney, visited Support Choices, a project from Outside the Box that helps people throughout the region.
The project, based out of Dunkeld, is a partnership between Outside the Box and the Care and Wellbeing Co-op. This complements a new initiative based at the carers’hub at PKAVS and Self-Directed Support (SDS).
Mr Swinney met with Nicky Bolland and other members of staff to discuss their work and the impact they are having across Perthshire.
Commenting, Mr Swinney said:“It was a pleasure to meet with Nicky and the team at Support Choices.
“Support Choices offer a valuable service to those across Perthshire, ensuring that people are fully aware of the ins and outs of the social care process and the help to which they are entitled.
“I am hopeful that this excellent service expands beyond its current base in Highland Perthshire, and I am fully supportive of the excellent work they are undertaking.” Patients in Perth and Kinross are being invited to have their say on plans to move all emergency orthopaedic surgery to Dundee.
NHS Tayside is redesigning its orthopaedic services and is holding a consultation on its proposals.
Should the plans be brought forward, all unplanned orthopaedic trauma operations would be carried out at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
From there, patients who require further care would be transferred back to their nearest hospital within 48 to 72 hours after their emergency surgery.
Meanwhile Perth Royal Infirmary will become a centre of excellence for planned orthopaedic surgery.
This means expert health professionals will work together to provide specialist care and treatment for patients on the dedicated site.
NHS Tayside says this will mean more planned orthopaedic operations will be carried out at PRI, resulting in 400 more operations a year across Tayside, reducing waiting times.
Currently, the average waiting time for orthopaedics is 30 weeks for outpatients and 33 weeks for inpatients. The target is 12 weeks.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “The proposed redesign of orthopaedic services will create a service that allows NHS Tayside to deliver high quality care, respond to growing numbers of patients, reduce patient waiting times and make best use of our three acute hospital sites.