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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Child cancer care units retained | Child cancer care units retained |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Cancer services for children will be "retained and enhanced" in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has said. | |
| It had been feared the care centre in Aberdeen would be downgraded after a review recommended centralisation. | It had been feared the care centre in Aberdeen would be downgraded after a review recommended centralisation. |
| Ms Sturgeon said: "I realise there has been a great deal of uncertainty over children's cancer services in Scotland and I can now remove any doubts." | Ms Sturgeon said: "I realise there has been a great deal of uncertainty over children's cancer services in Scotland and I can now remove any doubts." |
| Experts had said centralising services could improve treatment and survival. | Experts had said centralising services could improve treatment and survival. |
| One proposal was to withdraw some aspects of diagnosis, treatment, research and training from Aberdeen and Edinburgh, concentrating them in Glasgow. | One proposal was to withdraw some aspects of diagnosis, treatment, research and training from Aberdeen and Edinburgh, concentrating them in Glasgow. |
| Another would have seen Aberdeen downgraded, with Glasgow and Edinburgh becoming national centres for children's cancer. | Another would have seen Aberdeen downgraded, with Glasgow and Edinburgh becoming national centres for children's cancer. |
| Fighting cancer is a traumatic enough experience for any child, without having to travel hundreds of miles for treatment. Mike RumblesWest Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MSP | |
| NHS Grampian argued that if there were to be two centres, one should be in the north of the country. | NHS Grampian argued that if there were to be two centres, one should be in the north of the country. |
| Ms Sturgeon, speaking in Edinburgh, said: "There is no recommendation to remove children's cancer services from any of the sites where it is provided and I can confirm today that none of the four units will be downgraded in any way. | Ms Sturgeon, speaking in Edinburgh, said: "There is no recommendation to remove children's cancer services from any of the sites where it is provided and I can confirm today that none of the four units will be downgraded in any way. |
| "I am delighted to announce that the service will be delivered as a network across the four sites in Scotland. | "I am delighted to announce that the service will be delivered as a network across the four sites in Scotland. |
| "The innovative model will promote a uniformity of care that does not exist at present and ensure that care is provided as close to home as achievable." | "The innovative model will promote a uniformity of care that does not exist at present and ensure that care is provided as close to home as achievable." |
| Professor George G Youngson, consultant paediatric surgeon at Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, said: "This review takes a fresh look at the needs of Scottish children and how to deliver the best quality of specialist care. | |
| 'Very difficult' | |
| "It has the aim of providing the best care for all children irrespective of their geography and the nature of their problem. | |
| "For the first time in many years, we now have a national plan that places children's care at the forefront of the health service in Scotland. That investment should yield benefit for the health of all Scots for generations to come." | |
| West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MSP Mike Rumbles said he was very pleased that the Scottish Government had "seen sense" and decided not to move the health services. | |
| The Lib Dem MSP added: "Fighting cancer is a traumatic enough experience for any child, without having to travel hundreds of miles for treatment. | |
| "These proposals would have made it very difficult for their families to visit them as well." | |
| It comes after news that all four of Scotland's specialist neurosurgery units are to be retained. | It comes after news that all four of Scotland's specialist neurosurgery units are to be retained. |
| Neurosurgery is currently performed at hospitals in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. | Neurosurgery is currently performed at hospitals in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee. |