Following the concerns elations that cuts to emergency surgery at Perth Royal Infirmary Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife has called on NHS Tayside to scrap its plans to cut emergency surgery services at Perth Royal Infirmary. Over the weekend Liz Smith MSP has been contacted by many constituents and by several medical staff who have expressed deep concern at the impact which the proposal to cut emergency surgery services at Perth Royal Infirmary will have on the future of other services and the hospital. The Perthshire based MSP requested an urgent meeting with NHS Tayside and Perthshire and Kinross-shire elected representatives. The meeting will take place on Friday (25/01/2013). Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “It is now public knowledge the full extent of concerns amongst medical professionals about the implications of these proposed changes on other medical services at PRI including accident and emergency. “I have been grateful to the many constituents and to those medical staff who have contacted me to express their support for Perth Royal Infirmary. “It is clear that the removal of emergency surgery services at Perth Royal Infirmary will, in turn, impact on other clinical services such as accident & emergency, anaesthetists, theatre nurses, and the ability of PRI to provide round the clock emergency surgery cover. “From the outset of the proposals being made public by the Courier, I understand there has been a lack of consultation especially with medical managers at Perth Royal Infirmary as well as with patients and public representatives. “With patients and medics raising significant concerns I believe the time has come to NHS Tayside to scrap their plans to cut emergency surgery services at Perth Royal Infirmary. “I am increasingly concerned that the continuous removal of services such as the maternity ward, paediatrics, pathology, and weekend surgery and the staged closures which have taken place over a number of years at Perth Royal Infirmary will ultimately lead to the end of Perth Royal Infirmary as an acute District General Hospital as has been seen in the downgrade and removal of services at Stracathro Hospital in Angus. “People in Perthshire are clear that they want to see Perth Royal Infirmary remain as their primary hospital. I hope that the message from all elected politicians in Perthshire will be a united one; that NHS Tayside needs to scrap their plans to cut emergency surgery at Perth Royal Infirmary and for NHS Tayside to commit to Perth Royal Infirmary remaining a fully equipped acute District General Hospital to serve the growing population of Perth & Kinross. “Ahead of Fridays meeting I continue to have serious concerns about the consultation procedures and about the criteria on which NHS Tayside is basing their predictions on future population demands for PRI.”