St John's group questions transfer plans

HOSPITAL campaigners in West Lothian have grilled health chiefs about plans to move chest pain patients from the area to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Plans emerged last month for transferring patients by ambulance from West Lothian 25 miles to Little France, bypassing St John's Hospital on the way. Campaigners and medics are furious at the plans, though NHS Lothian said it would pnly be a small number of patients who were likely to be affected.

Members of the Action to Save St John's Party met with health bosses yesterday - by videolink - to demand answers to what they see as further downgrades at the hospital.

A spokesman said: "We were advised at the end of last week that the meeting would go ahead, but it would be by video- conferencing. It would seem a rather convenient excuse to prevent us being able to look them in the eye across the table."