By Claire Warrender

HEALTH CAMPAIGNERS have threatened to march on the streets of Dunfermline unless assurances are given over the future of the town’s Queen Margaret Hospital.

Fife Health Forum believes the only way to bring waiting times down in the region is for in-patient elective surgery to continue at Queen Margaret, as well as at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy.

Under the Right For Fife process it was agreed that all emergency and in-patient surgery would be performed at Victoria, while day cases would be treated in Dunfermline.

However, health forum spokesman Andrew Rodger claims Queen Margaret is vital in the fight to reduce waiting times and urged health bosses to continue in-patient surgery there.

He said the use of both hospitals was particularly important while Victoria undergoes a £100 million refurbishment programme, which could reduce capacity for a while.

His assertion follows the publication of new figures which show the waiting time for in-patient elective treatment in Fife has risen from 52 to 57 days—12 days longer than the national average.

Nationally, the average wait has actually fallen by two days to 45 days.

Mr Rodger is seeking a meeting with NHS Fife chairman James McGoldrick to discuss the issue and to ensure the people of Fife are given “a win-win situation.”

“Continuing elective surgery at both sites would ensure a sustainable future for health services in Fife,” he said.

“The health forum believes we need to develop a way forward by looking at regional working, consultants’ rotas and additional capacity.”

He added, “It will take five years for the work to be completed at the Victoria so we must make sure Queen Margaret does not lose out.

“We believe they need to do more elective work there to bring waiting times down as we are now almost a fortnight behind the rest of Scotland.”

Mr Rodger, a former member of Fife Health Board and a well-known health campaigner, said the health forum was pleased investment was being made at Victoria, but added it was important Queen Margaret was not underused as a result.

“We all agree we want a super duper hospital in Kirkcaldy but it’s going to take five years to come to fruition,” he said.

“In the meantime we need to keep two hospitals viable so we’re not firefighting all the time.

“We can’t stand back and watch Queen Margaret being torn apart.

“We don’t want to get back to the days of people marching down the streets of Dunfermline, but if that has to happen to prove the point then we’ll do it.”