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NHS Tayside annual review
01/09/2008
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon will see how healthcare staff are helping to tackle local alcohol misuse problems when she visits Dundee for the NHS Tayside Annual Review today.
Speaking in advance of her visit, Ms Sturgeon said:
"I am looking forward to hearing about the progress NHS Tayside has been making in the past year and the plans it has for further improvements in the future.
"Among the positive developments I look forward to hearing more about, I am encouraged by the fact NHS Tayside is meeting many of the targets on hospital waiting times and was one of the Boards that met the 62-day cancer waiting time target in the first quarter of this year.
"I am also very pleased to be meeting some of the healthcare and voluntary workers helping people in Tayside with alcohol problems overcome their addictions. Alcohol misuse is a problem in many communities across Scotland, so I look forward to hearing about the approaches that are working in Tayside."
Sandy Watson, Chairman of NHS Tayside Board, said:
"This Annual Review process is one which ensures that Boards have an objective view expressed about their performance by the Scottish Government, and are held accountable by the members of the public who attend. In a context where the Government is seeking to develop a "mutual NHS", this is a process which we in NHS Tayside welcome."
Commenting on the NHS Annual Review, Ms Sturgeon said:
"Holding those who manage our NHS boards to account in public is the right thing to do, both to give credit where it's due, but also to tackle tough issues and drive forward improvements.
"At this year's annual reviews extra time has been allocated to allow additional questions from members of the public attending the review.
"These meetings are a chance to question key decision-makers, who are shaping the way health services are delivered across Scotland. I hope people will take the opportunity to attend and ask questions about their health service."