By Marjory Inglis, health reporter

QUESTIONS ARE to be raised in the Scottish Parliament over the future of the multi-million pound Tayside Institute of Child Health.

Emeritus Professor Richard Olver has written to every opposition party health spokesperson and to Dundee MSP Marlyn Glen with his concerns over the future of the research arm of the Tayside Children’s Hospital.

In an exclusive interview in The Courier yesterday, Prof Olver claimed TICH was being closed due to university “cost cutting restructuring.”

Dundee University issued a blanket denial but the short statement failed to address individual allegations made by Prof Olver, in particular his claim that funds were raised on the basis of a “false prospectus.”

Last night politicians were clearly worried about the situation, particularly the effect a loss of public confidence might have on future fund-raising projects.

“Unless this is clarified and good partnership working is shown this example could undermine future charitable giving in Dundee and for the university and NHS Tayside, that would be a very, very serious issue,” said Conservative health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon.

“People have to have confidence any charitable giving will be used for the purpose for which it was intended. For future funders, there is an urgent need to restore confidence.

“It is crucial that the money given is proven to be used for the purposes for which it was intended.”

Professor Olver led a campaign over a number of years to raise £10 million to create an integrated research unit and children’s hospital on the Ninewells Hospital site in Dundee.

The major pitch to charitable trusts, public bodies and other financial donors was that the unique feature of the Dundee development was that researchers and clinicians would work side by side.

First investment was in new laboratories and other research facilities, followed by a refurbishment of the children’s wards and a dedicated entrance to Tayside Children’s Hospital, opened just two years ago by broadcaster Fred McAulay.

Now, in a letter to Scottish politicians copied to The Courier, Prof Olver highlights his view that £10 million was raised on what he describes as “a false prospectus”—promising something that he believes is not now being delivered.

“In essence, this is about the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside accepting large amounts of charitable and Scottish Executive money and then failing to meet their obligations and commitments to the donors,” wrote Prof Olver.

“Closing TICH so soon after its completion makes it look as if donations were sought on the basis of a false prospectus.”

Liberal Democrat Health spokesman Ross Finnie MSP said he would be tabling parliamentary questions to ask what was the original basis for the donations being made, has anything changed and has Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon had any meetings with the principal of Dundee University on the issue.

“It is regrettable that a Scottish centre of excellence for child health is the latest victim of the shortfall in university funding,” said Mr Finnie.

“But surely the health secretary has to demand explanations from the university as to how a project that was initially set up with money from the Scottish Executive, NHS Tayside and the university should be closed down at a time when there is a growing emphasis on dealing with health problems at the very earliest age.”

Mrs Scanlon described the situation as “tragic,” pointing out that Dundee was at the forefront of health research, with excellent partnership working between the university medical school, Ninewells Hospital and other organisations in Dundee.

“That is the basis of the strength as a front runner in medical research,” said Mrs Scanlon.

“It is therefore very tragic that £10 million was raised to create a children’s hospital with a research base which doesn’t (now) appear to be supported.

“The SNP government proposed that any major NHS service change should be open to independent scrutiny and it is therefore a shock to see that this service is apparently being constantly cut back with no local consultation from patient groups and other stakeholders in Tayside.

“It is for the university and NHS Tayside to give the local population and local patients a long term reassurance and commitment to both the research base and the children’s hospital.”

The university has said that it has a fundamental commitment to child health, and that the medical school is being restructured to match the support for academics more closely to their needs.

The institution also said that it has been actively searching for a new professor of child health.