By Katie Mackintosh
GPs in Glasgow have won their battle against proposed changes to health visiting services in Greater Glasgow and Clyde after the health board agreed to halt the review and start the process afresh.

In a statement NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde announced that an agreement has been reached with the Local Medical Committee (LMC) – the body representing the interests of all Greater Glasgow and Clyde GPs – on a set of principles for the implementation of the health visitor review, adding that they are pleased that a way forward has now been agreed.

In a letter to Holyrood, Dr Georgina Brown, GP and North Glasgow LMC Representative, writes: “We are pleased to announce that we have now voted to accept a statement of principles from NHS GG&C, which means they have agreed to accept all of our demands, those being: a halt to the review, transparent consultation and a jointly created new and improved review involving the opinions of all stakeholders – the most important of these stakeholders, being our patients.”

Brown continues: “We recognise that this is a massive step down for the board, and we are thankful that they have agreed with the importance of maintaining a universal, safe, adequate and effective health visiting service.”

The result follows an extensive campaign by GPs against what they say was a “flawed” review. Just last week a delegation of GPs visited the Scottish Parliament to hand over a petition with 21,916 in protest against the proposed service changes.

Brown writes that while she thinks it is a shame that they had to campaign so “vehemently” to have their voices heard, she adds, “it is also heartening to discover that in this case the democratic process has worked well for us.” She thanks the MSPs and press, including Holyrood, for their ongoing support and interest in the campaign, saying: “Without either of these two things, we would not be in a position of possible resolution today.”

She adds: “We would also hope that lessons have been learnt from all sides and look forward to NHS GG&C working and consulting with those of us at the coal face of patient care.

“The health needs of a quarter of Scotland’s population are provided by Greater Glasgow and Clyde and we continue to look for reassurances that they will carry out meaningful engagement with patients and primary care professions in the future.”

For full article, see page 30