Local people will have the opportunity to find out more about local health developments and ask members of NHS Forth Valley Board questions at a Ministerial Public Session on Wednesday 13^th March 2019 between 11.30am and 1.00pm.  The Public Session, which takes place in the Lecture Theatre at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, is the first Annual Review of NHS Forth Valley to be chaired by Jeane Freeman MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport and forms part of a review of the Health Board’s performance for 2017/18.

The Cabinet Secretary will be joined at the public meeting by NHS Forth Valley’s Chief Executive, Cathie Cowan, who will give a short presentation outlining the Board’s performance over the last year and plans for the year ahead. This includes details of how the additional £17 million of investment from the Scottish Government will be used to help reduce waiting times at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

There will then be an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions, although it will not be possible to answer queries on specific patient issues.

Cathie Cowan, NHS Forth Valley, said: “I am delighted to welcome the Health Secretary to NHS Forth Valley as part of our Annual Review. Like me, I am sure she will be keen to hear directly from local patients, staff and members of the public on the issues which matter most to them.”

The recent £17 million investment forms part of a new National Waiting Times Improvement plan. Two additional operating theatres will be opened to focus on general and orthopaedic surgery and extra operating lists will run in the hospital’s existing 14 theatres, including extended sessions over weekends, enabling hundreds of extra operations to be performed. There are also plans to expand existing Day Surgery facilities and create a new inpatient ward to help increase bed capacity.  A new MRI scanner, the second to be purchased for the hospital, will enable around 8,000 additional scans to be carried out each year.  NHS Forth Valley is also entering into a partnership with the Golden Jubilee National Hospital to improve the training and recruitment of clinical staff across both sites.

Anyone wishing to attend the Ministerial Public Session should email: FV-UHB.YourHealthService@nhs.net or telephone 0800 456033 (freephone) by Friday 1^st March 2019 and advise of any special requirements.