Emergency healthcare plan in place

A GROUP has been set-up to ensure healthcare in the Lothians can continue in the event of a major disaster.

NHS Lothian said plans had been developed in worst case scenarios to make sure people can still access vital healthcare.

And while the chances of this ever having to be implemented are slight, health chiefs said it was essential to be prepared.

The set-up is named the Business Continuity Planning group.

Assistant general manager Robert Aitken said: "We've drawn up about 20 plans covering the various disciplines and services in the Capital and we've carried out a number of exercises to test how they would work in a real crisis.

"We've brought staff together from different localities and involved social work, GPs and practice managers who have a close relationship with our employees."

Included in the plans are contingencies to make sure patient notes could be accessed.