Kirkcaldy MSP Marilyn Livingstone has written to health secretary Nicola Sturgeon asking her to explain why junior doctor training posts are being cut when health boards are struggling to recruit staff.
The Courier revealed last week the number of trainees recruited to the NHS nationally this year has been cut by over 60. A further 100 junior doctor posts will go next year and recruitment will be cut by another 300 in 2012.
At the same time, NHS Fife has had to downgrade Kirkcaldy’s accident and emergency department overnight on several occasions, blaming the action on a lack of medical staff.
This has resulted in A&E at Victoria Hospital being closed to acute medical admissions and operating as a minor injuries unit only, with all emergency cases sent directly to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline.
NHS Fife said it cannot guarantee such closures will not happen again until the new hospital wing at Kirkcaldy is opened in 2012, at which point all Fife’s acute services will be housed there rather than on two sites as is currently the case.
Mrs Livingstone, who met Fife’s health chiefs last week to discuss the crisis, has also lodged questions in the Scottish Parliament on the matter.
She asked the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure sufficient ambulances are on duty to respond to emergencies when Victoria Hospital’s A&E is closed and patients are being transported to other hospitals, and what action is being taken to ensure Fife receives a fair allocation of junior doctors to alleviate staffing problems.
Answers to her questions are expected on Friday, August 27.
In her letter to Ms Sturgeon, Mrs Livingstone expressed concern that a reduction in the number of medical trainees will lead to increased rota problems for NHS Fife.
Mrs Livingstone has also asked for an urgent meeting with Ms Sturgeon to discuss the matter.