MP backs campaign for reinstatement of out-of-hours service

The service has been closed between midnight-8am since April 5, as part of a three-month temporary closure.

Fife Health & Social Care Partnership, which made the decision, said it had been made due to a shortage of staff.

Glenrothes is one of three hospitals in Fife affected, with Victoria Hospital now the only one in the Kingdom offering the out-of-hours service between those hours.

Mr Grant told the Gazette that he was backing the campaign to re-instate the service at the hospital and criticised NHS Fife for its handling of the closure.

He said: “It’s astonishing that NHS Fife seem to have learned nothing from the debacle a few years ago.

“They failed to realise that although they have given assurances that this is not just a back door way of closing the service completely, it’s inevitable that people will be suspicious about their true agenda.

“Announcing the reduction in service at such short notice demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of what being publicly accountable means.

“I’ve made suggestions to NHS Fife about how they should be engaging in proper consultation and listening to what the public are saying about the real impact this decision could have on the ability of vulnerable patients to get access to the care they need.

“This consultation should take place before decisions are taken, not afterwards.”