Michael Connarty Visits New Forth Valley Hospital.

Michael Connarty MP sees at first hand the new Forth Valley Hospital and raises staff parking and travel cost concerns.

Michael Connarty MP has met with the Chairman of Forth Valley Health Board Mr Ian Mullen (pictured with Anne McGuire MP and Michael) and senior members of staff at the new Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert. During an extensive tour the Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP was shown the excellent ward facilities and first class operating theatres. The new wards are mainly single room units (around 70%) and the operating theatre timetables are scheduled to allow additional surgical procedures to take place therefore reducing operation waiting times for patients.

Michael Connarty took the opportunity to raise two areas of concern to him - firstly the aspect of the lack of clarity in the parking permits allocations for Hospital staff (many of whom live in the Linlithgow and East Falkirk Constituency) and the high cost of public transport to and from the Hospital which will impact ancillary staff on lower wage rates especially.

After the visit Michael commented "The new Forth Valley Hospital in Larbert is a first class health facility and its Chairman Ian Mullen should be proud of their achievement. It will improve health outcomes for my Constituents in Central Scotland. The investment in technology and the high standard of patient care items stand beside the best I have seen in Europe. The Health Board have invested in public sector bus transport to bring staff and patients to the Hospital site, they seemed to be aware that trying to reduce car use in the interests of a more sustainable environment has required investment - only time will tell whether their efforts actually deal with the very real concerns that staff in particular have about their inability to take their car to work. I will be working with our MSP Cathie Peattie to monitor the situation as the Hospital opens for patients between now and November 2011".