Disappointment over failure to host health consultation

Councillors in Rutherglen say they are ‘baffled and ‘disappointed’ with NHS Lanarkshire’s decision not to host a public meeting in the town as it consults on future health care provision.

The health board is visiting five towns to get people’s views on its Achieving Excellence strategy, but not Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

At a meeting of Rutherglen Community Council last week, councillor Denis McKenna argued uncertainty over the long-term future of the GP out of hours service and complications arising from Rutherglen patients attending Glasgow hospitals mean the area should have been made a priority.

He said: “It’s very difficult when you get these announcements that these meetings will be held in Wishaw, Airdrie and East Kilbride. If they are needed anywhere it is in Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

“They said there was one in East Kilbride and that was the end of it. We were very disappointed with that.

“People are mostly concerned about the GP Out of Hours service and they have never had a proper answer to that. We have only been told that it will stay in the New Victoria Hospital for now.”

“If they are going around five places to give people updates, it baffles me they have not come to Rutherglen, especially as some people use NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and some use NHS Lanarkshire.”

But Colin Lauder, NHS Lanarkshire head of planning and development, said the out of hours service and use of NHSGGC hospitals were not issues covered in the consultation.

“The locations for the public meetings were agreed with the Scottish Health Council ahead of the launch of the public consultation,” Mr Lauder said. “In our publicity material we advised that additional presentations to community groups could be arranged upon request. To date, we have not received any requests from groups in Cambuslang or Rutherglen.”