Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife has welcomed the assurance from the Cabinet Secretary for Health Wellbeing, Alex Neil MSP that no decision has yet been taken on any change to emergency surgery services at Perth Royal Infirmary. The Perthshire based MSP requested an urgent meeting with NHS Tayside and Perthshire and Kinross-shire elected representatives. The meeting will take place next Friday (25/01/2013). Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “I welcome the assurance from the Cabinet Secretary for Health Wellbeing, Alex Neil MSP that no decision has yet been taken on any change to services at Perth Royal Infirmary. “The Cabinet Secretary has instructed NHS Tayside not to proceed with any reduction in service provision within Perth Royal Infirmary without full consultation with staff, patients and public representatives. “Along with other local politicians, I remain very concerned regarding the lack of consultation surrounding the latest announcement by NHS Tayside of a reduction in services at Perth Royal Infirmary, and about whether due recognition has been given to the social and economic circumstances within the Perthshire and Kinross-shire area, not least of which is the predicted population growth and the increasingly diverse needs of patients. “The creation of the Acute Surgical Receiving Unit (ASRU) at Ninewells has arguably created a situation where Perth Royal Infirmary’s surgery unit has seen such as reduction in admissions with ambulances by-passing Perth Royal Infirmary and going directly to Ninewells. “I am sorry to say that the experience of residents across Perthshire and Kinross-shire is that they are told by NHS Tayside that they are looking to ‘strengthen’ services at Perth Royal Infirmary with the result to date being the loss of the maternity ward, paediatrics, pathology, and weekend surgery. “The reality is that NHS Tayside have a history of centralising service at Ninewells in Dundee a situation which any real consultation with residents in Perthshire and Kinross-shire would be rejected. Local people are clear that they want to see Perth Royal Infirmary as their primary hospital not Ninewells. “Residents across Perth & Kinross are clear that they want to see services at Perth Royal Infirmary maintained and investment make to sustain what is a first class local hospital serving the local community.”