PALLIATIVE CARE IN THE BORDERS UNDER THREAT

11.00.37am GMT Sat 24th May 2008

Jim Hume, Liberal Democrat MSP for the South of Scotland, together with his Libdem colleagues, Michael Moore MP and Jeremy Purvis MSP, has voiced his grave concern at plans to close the palliative care ward at Borders General Hospital in the summer, as part of a cost cutting exercise by NHS Borders.

Jim Hume said:-

"This is a direct result of the SNP's changes to the funding formula for the NHS which has seen a great reduction in the money allocated to individual NHS authorities.

"Ward 14 in BGH is solely dedicated to palliative and pain control care, including patients with terminal illnesses. The new set up will see these patients being treated in ward 11, alongside stroke patients.

"The cost cutting exercise will also see beds from community hospitals reduced - the Knoll Hospital in Duns, and Hawick and Kelso Community Hospitals have all been told to find a reduction in beds.

"These changes are particularly distressing for patients, and friends and relatives of patients in need of round the clock palliative care.

The MSP continued:-

"This is perhaps no great surprise after the SNP's announcement on the funding formula.

"The Scottish Government blindly ignored the fact that healthcare in rural areas costs more and went ahead with changes to the funding formula which no longer takes into account this rural factor."