THE CAMPAIGN to bring a chemotherapy unit to an East Dunbartonshire hospital has been stepped up by local MSP Rona Mackay and fellow MSPs from North Glasgow.
The delegation of MSPs, along with long-running campaigner Tom Herbert from Lenzie, met with Robert Calderwood, the chief executive of Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board to discuss the potential of bringing an outpatient chemotherapy clinic for certain types of cancer to Stobhill Hospital.
Rona Mackay MSP (Strathkelvin and Bearsden), Bob Doris MSP (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) and Ivan McKee (Glasgow Provan) made the case to Mr Calderwood on the desperate need for cancer treatments closer to the homes of people living in East Dunbartonshire and the north of Glasgow to avoid them having to make the tiring and stressful journey to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
Ms Mackay said: “We acknowledge that the Beatson will always be the centre of excellence for certain cancers and stages of the disease, but we stressed that equality of local care provision for patients was not being met at present. This facility is available at the New Victoria Hospital on the south side of Glasgow, which has an identical catchment area and demographic.
“While Mr Calderwood was not positive about his resolve to progress this facility, citing lack of clinical facilities such as an aseptic pharmacy at Stobhill, we now know a lot more about how we can move forward with the campaign.
“I will fight tooth and nail to get accessible treatment for my constituents and am currently researching ways of achieving the funding that is needed to make Stobhill fit for purpose. This facility should have been built in to the hospital from the start, but we are where we are and the campaign will continue.”
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