A QUESTION mark hangs over the future of Carnegie Clinic with services being moved to Queen Margaret Hospital.

The health clinic is an iconic building in the city centre, adjacent to the sports centre and has served generations of West Fifers.

Now with the shake-up of health service provision in Fife, which has seen the loss of services at Queen Margaret to the Victoria, more changes are in the pipeline.

A report to Dunfermline and West Fife Community Partnership has referred to the "potential closure of Carnegie Clinic and other facilities following the relocation of services to Queen Margaret Hospital".

The Press asked NHS Fife to clarify the situation regarding the future of the clinic and what other facilities may be closed.

Susan Manion, Dunfermline & West Fife Community Health Partnership General Manager said, "The development of the Queen Margaret Hospital is a key priority for NHS Fife.�Central to this is the establishment of�a diagnostic and treatment service and primary care resource centre.

"This will ensure�Queen Margaret Hospital�will have a wide range of services in top quality accommodation and the hospital will be used to its full potential.� "This was a cornerstone of NHS Fifes'�strategy�'Right for Fife'. This could have�an impact on other areas as we look to make best use�of the community services and buildings we have to provide the best�service we can.

"We�are currently looking at what it may mean for Carnegie Clinic.� No conclusion will be made about its future�until we have completed this work and fully considered any�proposal in discussion with service users and staff.

"These issues were discussed at the most recent Dunfermline & West Fife Community Health Partnership Committee meeting, where we noted the review taking place."

The report to the CHP added, "The main potential impacts identified by the Equality Impact Assessment are the perception of problematic transportation to Queen Margaret Hospital, a lack of clear signage within QMH, the affect of the QMH location on disabled people, the affect of the location of QMH on young people, the increased transportation costs for individuals on low income.

"Positive impacts were also identified including improved lifestyles choices resulting from increased Health Improvement awareness, increased availability of Sexual Health Clinics for men, and the co-location of community services within Queen Margaret Hospital in meeting the needs and definition of a Primary Care Resource Centre."