Presiding Officer set for surgery

Published on 19/12/2012 00:00

Holyrood’s Presiding Officer, Tricia Marwick, will go into hospital in early January for a minor operation to remove her gall bladder.

Ms Marwick is expected to take two weeks off to recuperate, during which time her two deputies, John Scott and Elaine Smith, will fulfil her parliamentary duties.

Surgical removal of the gall bladder is one of the most common operations performed by the NHS, with more than 60,000 procedures each year. The operation is generally safe with a low risk of complications, with infection the most common risk.