Hospital group rejects claims

Published on Monday 19 October 2009 10:03

CLAIMS that St John's Hospital in Livingston is "busier than ever" have been dismissed by a hospital campaign group.

NHS Lothian recently said that the West Lothian facility was reporting high levels of admissions and therefore was under no threat.

However, the Stop the Downgrade campaign stated the acute hospital was slowly being eroded, and the increase in day patients could not make up for the loss of more important services.

A spokesman for the campaign dismissed medical director Dr Charles Swainson's views that it was a vibrant, important hospital.

He said: "This is utter nonsense. St John's is being turned into an outpatient clinic and centre for day-case surgery for the Lothians."