Question reference: S5W-05560
- Date lodged: 13 December 2016
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Current status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 December 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, now that the NHS board engagement process has concluded, what its response is to the recommendations from the Scottish Health Council on the designation of service change proposals submitted by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, in respect of the local reviews of Clyde birthing services, inpatient care at the Centre for Integrative Care, and services at Lightburn Hospital.
Answer
We understand that the Scottish Health Council (SHC) has come to a view on the designation of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s recent service change proposals. The Scottish Government supports the SHC views.
The SHC views the proposals relating to Clyde birthing services and Lightburn Hospital as major service changes. It does not view the proposals relating to inpatient care at the Centre for Integrative Care as major service change. Full details are available via the SHC website at the following link: http://www.scottishhealthcouncil.org/publications/service_change_updates.aspx#.WE-rZlJDTcs
The board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will consider the next steps at its meeting on 20 December, as informed by the responses to its recent public engagement activity and the SHC views. On considering all the available information, Health Boards can, and frequently do, designate service change proposals as major themselves, without having to ask Ministers. This was the case with the same Board’s proposals relating to Royal Alexandra Hospital inpatient and day case paediatrics in October 2016.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has confirmed that the terms of any further process around the Clyde birthing services proposals will take full account of the recommendations of the National Review of Maternity and Neonatal Services, which we expect to be published in 2017.
The board has the opportunity to revisit and revise proposals, which could see the scope of change proposed reduced substantially, or maintained in line with their original proposal.
Any proposals that are designated as major must follow the established process of being subject to at least three months of formal public consultation, and are ultimately subject to Ministerial approval. In all such cases, Ministers take full account of all the available information and representations before coming to a final decision.