The Friends of Royal Victoria Hospital are pleased to be restarting their tea, coffee and cake sale after a pause during the COVID pandemic.
The bake sale will take place at The Bistro on the first Saturday of the month, tomorrow – Saturday 3rd September – from 2pm to 4pm.
Last December, I updated residents that the City Council had agreed to the request I had made on behalf of local residents and of visitors to Royal Victoria Hospital that the handrail at the Kelso Steps be extended up the brae north of the steps. 
* This evening’s Evening Telegraph notes my welcome for nearly £60 000 of funding for a new community and arts centre at Dundee Rail Station, but
I also point out the need for substantial investment to improve the station, particularly as it is adjacent to the site of the proposed V&A in Dundee.
I am pleased to say that NHS Tayside has given me an invitation to meet with Gerry Marr, Chief Operating Officer, NHS Tayside, on Tuesday to discuss the issues and the concerns I have raised.
It is clear from medical professionals’ concerns that the proposals in relation to Ward 6 have thrown up very real issues and I therefore welcome the opportunity to meet with NHS Tayside.
It is particularly important that NHS Tayside hears Dundee constituents’ concerns give that Shona Robison, Public Health Minister, has unfortunately washed her hands of the issue.
I felt it was important that the Public Health Minister took action rather than simply listening to the views of NHS Tayside and apparently not hearing the views of patients and senior clinicians. I have been inundated with concerns from constituents about this matter and its all the more disappointing that Shona Robison has chosen not to listen to the concerns.
I do, however, hope for constructive talks on Tuesday with NHS Tayside, when I can highlight the issues raised by many constituents across the West End.
“Further to your letter of 11th May to me, I have continued to receive numerous concerns from constituents about the proposals relative to Ward 6 at Royal Victoria Hospital and these concerns have clearly been recognised by the senior clinicians who I understand have written to you to also voice their concerns.
I would be grateful if you would now consider reconsideration of the proposals that will give reassurance to my constituents who are most concerned about the effect on the quality of care for elderly people. “
Tonight, after a busy surgery at Blackness Primary School, I attended the West End Local Community Planning Partnership meeting that was kindly hosted (at short notice) by Tayside Police at the Lochee Police Station. There was a very useful update from Social Work on protecting vulnerable adults and children and on social work caseloads in the West End post code areas.
Lastly for today – following a letter in
Monday’s Tele about an apparent mis-spelling in the quote from William McGonagall’s poem about the Tay Bridge rail disaster that is carved along the footway in Riverside Drive, the City Council advises me : “In response to the letter about the word ‘beatiful’ in McGonagall’s poem at Riverside, we would like to point out that the quote uses the poet’s own unique spelling.In the spirit of historical accuracy, and in a nod to his idiosyncrasies, it was decided his version of the word would be retained.”
Following a flurry of concerns about the situation from constituents, earlier this month, I wrote to Professor Tony Wells, Chief Executive of NHS Tayside to voice concerns. His response is pasted below.
During the recent general election, Ms Robison’s colleagues in the SNP had made much of a “community charter” they had launched that First Minister Alex Salmond said was a ‘contract with the community’. This document committed SNP parliamentarians to campaign against cuts to our local services and in this case actions speak louder than words and I hope Shona Robison will stand up for Ward 6 at Royal Victoria Hospital.
It is clear from the medical professionals’ concerns that the proposals in relation to Ward 6 that there are very real issues here and it is important that the Public Health Minister takes action here. I have been inundated with concerns from constituents about this matter and I hope NHS Tayside listens carefully to concerns raised by senior doctors and by the wider community.
LETTER RECEIVED FROM THE NHS TAYSIDE CHIEF EXECUTIVE :
NHS Tayside is embarking on an ambitious programme of modernisation of older people services across Tayside as part of our Older People’s Strategy. These plans look at how we can ensure that older people are assessed more quickly and are cared for with all the support they need in the most appropriate environment for their individual needs.
This includes looking at reducing unnecessary admissions and also reducing prolonged lengths of stay for older people in a hospital bed.
Part of the modernisation programme includes a review of the services provided at both Royal Victoria Hospital and Ninewells to ensure that older people requiring admission to hospital are placed in the correct setting and that we have a range of services to support alternatives to admission where this is appropriate.
We believe these improvements will enhance the pathway of care for older people in Tayside and improve care within Medicine for the Elderly Services.”
Cllrs Fraser Macpherson and Michael Crichton 
