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A&E closure decisions overturned A&E closure decisions overturned
(40 minutes later)
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has announced to parliament that decisions to close two accident and emergency units will be reversed.Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has announced to parliament that decisions to close two accident and emergency units will be reversed.
The previous government had endorsed plans to close A&E units at Ayr hospital and Monklands in Lanarkshire.The previous government had endorsed plans to close A&E units at Ayr hospital and Monklands in Lanarkshire.
But Ms Sturgeon said health boards in those area had not given enough weight to concerns from local people. But Ms Sturgeon said health boards in those areas had failed to give enough weight to concerns from local people.
Former health minister Andy Kerr branded the announcement a con and a "sell-out of gigantic proportions".Former health minister Andy Kerr branded the announcement a con and a "sell-out of gigantic proportions".
NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Lanarkshire have now been instructed to produce revised proposals by the end of the year to allow A&E services to continue.NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Lanarkshire have now been instructed to produce revised proposals by the end of the year to allow A&E services to continue.
Public opinionPublic opinion
They will also be independently scrutinised. Those proposals will also be independently scrutinised.
"I have reversed the decisions because I think that is the right thing for the public and patients in Lanarkshire and in Ayrshire," Ms Sturgeon told MSPs."I have reversed the decisions because I think that is the right thing for the public and patients in Lanarkshire and in Ayrshire," Ms Sturgeon told MSPs.
"The two boards did not in my view give sufficient weight to the concerns expressed by local people about the planned withdrawal of A&E services."The two boards did not in my view give sufficient weight to the concerns expressed by local people about the planned withdrawal of A&E services.
"And the boards did not consult on options that retained A&E services at all of the hospital sites - so the public had no opportunity to weigh up costs and benefits. "And the boards did not consult on options that retained A&E services at all of the hospital sites - so the public had no opportunity to weigh up costs and benefits."
Ms Sturgeon, whose announcement brought cheers from campaigners sitting in the parliament's public benches, stressed that public opinion could not override genuine concerns about the safety of services, but neither could it be ignored. Hospital campaigners sitting in the parliament's public benches cheered as the announcement was made - some held up placards stating "SNP saves A&E".
Ms Sturgeon stressed that public opinion could not override genuine concerns about the safety of services, but neither could it be ignored.
However, she said the government had no plans to rewrite "comprehensively" the strategy for the NHS and agreed it was important to shift the balance of care into communities - a strategy favoured by the previous Scottish Executive.
She said the services in Ayr and Lanarkshire would be retained because of particular local circumstances, including geography and high levels of ill health and deprivation.