Fife’s top NHS boss has rejected political calls for an independent review of services.
NHS Fife interim chief executive Dr Brian Montgomery said the scale and complexity of problems are well understood.
However, Dr Montgomery has again rejected calls to back an independent review of the region’s health needs, claiming it would not help matters.
It follows a plea by mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Jayne Baxter for health chiefs to support a Labour Party petition.
Ms Baxter accused NHS Fife board members of taking a defensive approach and made it clear she believed it was the Scottish Government’s responsibility to ensure health and social care was properly funded.
As Labour launched its petition last week, Dr Montgomery pointed to a number of challenges experienced by services, including a high number of people in hospital who should not be there due to a lack of home care and community support.
Significant work is going on between the NHS and Fife Council to address the situation, he said.
However, with complaints about staff shortages and low morale mounting, Ms Baxter believes an investigation is the only way forward.
“No one disputes the facts and figures, both in terms of shortages in staffing levels and care packages available to free up beds and people are well aware that NHS Fife in isolation cannot resolve these problems,” she said.
“This is why we need an independent review that will set out in a transparent way all the needs and demands on health and social care services in Fife and identify the collective resources across NHS Fife and Fife Council that is available to meet those needs.
“We also know that Fife Council is massively overspending its social care budgets to get as many people out of hospital as quickly as possible with care packages at home.
“But that is not sustainable and they are failing to meet the need in the community, with over 600 people waiting to be assessed for a care package in their own home.
“On top of this, we have many GPs reporting they are overwhelmed and this situation is only going to get more challenging.”
She added: “In order to address those challenges we need to know the level of need and the level of resources that will be needed.”
Dr Montgomery responded: “NHS Fife remains committed to working with Fife Council and other agencies to address the shared challenges associated with meeting the health and social care needs of the people of Fife.
“The scale and complexity of the challenges are well understood and require immediate and sustained action. I do not believe that an independent review would assist the process.”