Sturgeon vows extra specialist staff to care for young

Published on Tuesday 20 January 2009 21:19

EXTRA specialist NHS staff to care for children were promised by the Scottish Government yesterday.

Nicola Sturgeon, the health secretary, also pledged that existing specialist services for children and young people would be kept, following previous concerns about the centralisation of some aspects of care.

Last year the Scottish Government announced the retention of children's cancer services at all four sites in Scotland where they are currently available, along with plans to spend 32 million on all children's services.

Yesterday, during a visit to Yorkhill Children's Hospital in Glasgow, Ms Sturgeon announced where the extra cash would be spent.

In total during the first year of the three-year plan, eight new consultants will be employed along with five new specialist nurses, four dietetics posts, three specialist physiotherapists and one pharmacist. The report also promised investment in other specialist staff to deal with children with metabolic diseases and joint problems.