NHS FIFE has insisted there are "no plans" to cut the hours of the minor injuries unit at Queen Margaret Hospital. 

The health board responded after a source accused them of stripping services from the Dunfermline hospital. 

It was alleged that a review was under way with a view to closing the unit at 7.30pm each night, and that replacing security staff with hospital porters had compromised safety and led to one of them being seriously assaulted. 

Interim chief operating officer, Jann Gardner, said: "There has been significant investment in Queen Margaret Hospital over recent years, across a range of areas and specialities.

“It remains a massively busy hospital, providing vital day surgery and diagnostic interventions alongside a number of primary care and community services.

“Our minor injuries service at Queen Margaret remains a key part of our emergency care provision and is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are no plans to change these arrangements.”

Director of estates, facilities and capital services, Andrew Fairgrieve, said that NHS Fife had combined its security and portering roles at QMH in July 2017 following a "successful 18-month pilot" scheme that brought them in line with other Scottish health boards. 

He added: “Importantly, staff fulfilling this combined role receive the same extensive training provided to all security personnel. 

"This approach enables security to be delivered safely and efficiently, freeing up resources which can be invested in patient care.

"There have been no serious assaults recorded against our portering staff since the new approach was implemented.”