22nd June 2006
Care of the elderly services at the Royal Victoria Hospital
Margaret Smith has taken her fight to secure care
of the elderly services at the Royal Victoria Hospital to the Scottish
Parliament. Margaret tabled a motion and secured a Members debate about
the future of the hospital site. Margaret says, “ NHS Lothian
have decided to move hundreds of care of the elderly inpatient beds
to the Western General. I think it’s crucial that when they
do that the Royal Victoria site retains some care of the elderly services
. Locally there is a need for a day hospital with clinics, a care home
and adapted housing so older people can stay in their own homes, living
independently for as long as possible.
NHS Lothian are just at the beginning of their consultation with local
groups about what they want to see on this important site so I thought
it was an ideal time to highlight the Royal Vic issue in Parliament,
get input from other local MSPs of all parties and send the message
loud and clear to the Health Board that we don’t want to see
the site lost to nothing but housing . I was delighted that so many
other local MSPs took part in what was a thoughtful, important debate
.
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