Vale breast screening services are being switched to RAH in Paisley
Jackie Baillie, Jeane Freeman and political leaders who claim to support breast cancer services.
MSP Jackie Baillie has reacted angrily to the news that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde want to remove breast screening services from the Vale of Leven hospital and centralise them in Paisley.
A paper submitted to the Acute Services Committee of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on Tuesday asked members to approve the first stage of the Moving Forward Together programme which focuses on the Breast Screening Service Review and Redesign.
The paper outlines proposals to remove breast screening services from the Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria and Inverclyde hospital, and to centralise them at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. That means that women will no longer be seen at their local hospital.
The paper states that the board has already carried out robust public engagement and that the Scottish Government have agreed in principle to the changes.
Jackie Baillie said: “This is outrageous. It is clear that the Moving Forward Together Programme will mean cuts to our local hospital services. A change to Breast Screening Services on this level could have an adverse impact on women in our community. We already know that vulnerable women from disadvantaged areas are less likely to regularly get themselves checked for breast cancer.
“Having to go to the RAH for a follow up appointment may mean that they are unable to get the treatment that they need due to cost and distance.
“The board paper states that a robust public engagement process has been undertaken but I would be interested to know just how many members of the public from Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven and Helensburgh were involved in agreeing with a decision to take services away from their local hospital.
“If this is the start of the board’s Moving Forward Together programme the potential impact on services at the Vale could be horrendous for local people. Paisley is a bridge too far. The board must listen to local people and not railroad this decision through.
“I have written to the Health Secretary Jeane Freeman to demand the fullest possible consultation to a proposed service change that does not appear to be in the interests of women.”
The cuts in services continue at the Vale which can best be described as
a large clinic. Cuts started by the Labour Party and continued by the SNP.