NHS FIFE have reassured West Fifers that there are no plans to close Dunfermline’s hospice at Queen Margaret Hospital.

The Press was contacted anonymously suggesting that the number of beds could be reduced at the inpatient unit or it could close completely.

However, Claire Dobson, from Fife Health & Social Care Partnership, said staff had been caring for palliative and end-of-life patients in the community to reduce the risks posed by COVID-19.

There are plans to restart the service at the hospital when it is safe to do so.

Divisional general manager Ms Dobson said: “There are no plans to permanently close Queen Margaret Hospice.

"During the preparation for managing COVID-19 in Fife, a number of services were temporarily relocated to reduce the risks for those people most vulnerable to the effects of the virus.

"As a result, some services, such as palliative care, were supported to deliver care in the community and so staff from Queen Margaret Hospice have instead been caring for people in their own homes.

“Inpatient palliative and end-of-life care has been available at community hospitals across Fife. People have also been cared for at the Victoria Hospice in Kirkcaldy.

“Throughout our response to the pandemic, our focus has been on providing the right care, in the right place, and, like all services across the Health and Social Care Partnership, the palliative care service is developing plans to remobilise as soon as it is safe to do so.”