THE new year has brought with it a fresh call for NHS Fife to reinstate an accident and emergency unit at Dunfermline's Queen Margaret Hospital.

Roz McCall, Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, said the new year should begin with it a new A&E facility for West Fife.

She said figures from NHS Fife in December 2023 show that weekly A&E wait times have hit their highest level since May last year and said it was clear that Kirkcaldy's Victoria Hospital alone cannot cope with the level of demand.

READ MORE: Fife MSP says Dunfermline A&E would help allay 'intolerable delays'

"The start of a new year brings with it opportunities for the SNP government to listen to the people of Dunfermline and reinstate fully operational services at Queen Margaret Hospital," she said.

"I have heard from countless constituents who all share the same concerns about the lack of an A&E and other key services at Queen Margaret Hospital.

"Alongside my Scottish Conservative colleagues at both local and national level, I will continue to fight for the return of fully operational services at Queen Margaret Hospital.

Dunfermline Press:

"The people of Dunfermline deserve better."

She continued: "The Victoria Hospital is under immense pressure. Re-opening an A&E department at Queen Margaret Hospital would ease the pressure on the Victoria Hospital and help local people get seen quicker."

READ MORE: MSP takes Dunfermline hospital service concerns to Holyrood

However, as reported in the Press in November, NHS Fife's medical director Chris McKenna has ruled out any possibility of an A&E facility returning to the Queen Margaret Hospital.

“A&E departments are the front door of an acute hospital and supported by many other specialties," he said. "You can’t run an A&E without all of those support services around you because you won’t be able to safely look after patients.

“Decisions were taken a number of years ago to create a single acute hospital in Fife – which is the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. That’s where we have to deliver acute care.”

A petition with 20,000 signatures called for A&E to return but NHS Fife have remained resolute since the decision was taken.

Dr McKenna added: “While we aren’t able to provide an A&E department at Queen Margaret there are many things we can do to ensure our urgent care services meet the needs of many people.”