CLOSING the hospice at Queen Margaret Hospital will "restrict options" for patients in Dunfermline and West Fife.

That's the opinion of Mid Scotland and Fife Labour MSP Claire Baker who has urged NHS Fife to reconsider their proposals which would see the city's hospice facility permanently shut.

She is calling for the specialist hospice provision to be retained alongside plans for more at-home care, in order to ensure patients across Fife have a real choice in the setting for their care delivery.

"With the petition to save the service at well over 2,000 signatures, it is clear that there is a great deal of local anger and frustration at plans to close the Queen Margaret hospice," she said.

“While I fully support the need to deliver at-home end of life care for those patients who want it, this should be alongside specialist hospice care in a hospital setting, not as a replacement for it.

"Providing a real choice to those in need of palliative care isn’t achieved by expanding one option at the expense of closing another. While increasing numbers of patients are choosing to be cared for at home, that is not true for everyone, and specialist local hospice care remains a vital part of personalised care.

“Closing the hospice at Queen Margaret will mean restricting local options for patients in Dunfermline and West Fife."

Ms Baker said additional burden was being placed on those wanting a specialist hospice setting as they and their families will have to travel to Kirkcaldy.

She added: “There remain a number of questions around the process of reaching this decision. A briefing from NHS Fife talks of a “comprehensive programme of engagement” yet there is little evidence of proper public consultation having taken place or being part of the development of these proposals.

"To move to close a valued local service like the Queen Margaret hospice without seeking the views of the wider community is not acceptable and I am once again urging NHS Fife and the IJB to put any proposal to permanently close the hospice on hold.”