Sporting injuries clinic rolls in at Lothian hospital

A DEDICATED sports injury clinic is to be created in the Lothians as part of a major hospital revamp.

The specialist unit means there will be a specific centre for people of all abilities who hurt themselves during activities like football and running.

It is one of the focal points of the new 8.2 million short-stay elective surgical centre which is being built at St John's Hospital in Livingston.

In addition, the centre will become a "centre of excellence" for a type of knee surgery and help reduce waiting times for treatment by having it under the same roof.

As well as providing benefits for sport enthusiasts, it is also another coup for the hospital, which has been subject to a major campaign to keep services there.

NHS Lothian's chief operating officer for acute services, Jackie Sansbury, said: "We have made the first move towards exploring the creation of a centre of excellence for soft-tissue knee surgery and the creation of a sports injury clinic.

"The plan would mean that patients from all over the Lothians would be treated in a dedicated clinic, staffed by specialists.

"It is proposed that a knee-assessment unit would also be created alongside to support specialist rehabilitation of patients, both before and after surgery.

"Acute knee pain is a common condition and we are aware that early diagnosis and injury management leads to good long-term results."

The new short-stay centre, due to open in December, is seen as a key part of St John's future.

Health chiefs have already announced that they will try and treat more West Lothian patients there, rather than have them travel to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary or the Western General.

They even abandoned a scheme to send west Edinburgh patients there because the hospital was becoming so busy.

Councillor Ellen Glass, a member of the Action to Save St John's party, which won four seats on the strength of campaigning for the hospital, said she was pleased with the announcement.

"I am delighted to see these new services coming to St John's," she said.

"It will be warmly welcomed by those who have campaigned to increase the services available locally.

"West Lothian's growing population means it needs a thriving hospital at its heart, and these services will make sure that local residents have access to top-quality services."

NHS Lothian medical director Dr Charles Swainson added: "It will help ensure that St John's Hospital remains at the heart of our acute division and that NHS Lothian patients continue to receive the best care possible."