AS a former secretary of the Scottish Health Campaigns Network, I have been, and remain, firmly opposed to over-centralisation of front-line services within the NHS in Scotland (Letters, August 20).
At a time when health boards are responding to financial pressures by planning to close departments within some hospitals, including the unique in-patient facility at the Centre for Integrated Care, formerly known as the Homeopathic Hospital, in Glasgow, it is time to question whether Scotland requires as many as 14 regional NHS boards.
The Scottish Government decided that there were savings to be made by introducing a single police force and a single fire service while claiming that this would not affect the efficiency of these public bodies.
While it is doubtful if such radical thinking would be of benefit to the delivery of health care in Scotland with its diverse issues in geographically and demographically different areas, a reduction in the numbers of boards should be seriously considered.
Malcolm Allan,
2 Tofthill Gardens, Bishopbriggs.
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