The leader of Scottish Labour has promised she will press ahead with plans for a major trauma centre at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary if her party wins the election in May.
Kezia Dugdale said she “knows the importance” of delivering the life-saving centre for the north-east, amid fears the SNP may backtrack on a commitment to build one in the Granite City.
Her comments came as a petition calling on the Scottish Government to not U-turn on the plans surpassed 2800 signatures in just two weeks.
Top doctors have also raised concerns about a trauma centre in Aberdeen being ditched in favour of Edinburgh and Glasgow, but Health Secretary Shona Robison has insisted “no final decision” has been made.
The SNP’s Aberdeen Central candidate, Kevin Stewart, branded Ms Dugdale’s comments “total nonsense”.
Ms Dugdale said: “The SNP made a promise to the people of Aberdeen of a major trauma centre but now they are backtracking.
“We know the importance of ensuring the north east of Scotland has an NHS fit for the future.
“A Scottish Labour Government will keep that promise to the people of Aberdeen.”
Plans for four trauma centres in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh were announced by then-Health Secretary Alex Neil in 2014 – and were due to be built by the end of this year.
However, Ms Robison has claimed clinicians now disagree on whether or not trauma centres for Aberdeen and Dundee would be viable.
Scottish Labour’s Aberdeen Central candidate, Lewis Macdonald, added: “This is one of the things that separates us from the outgoing government.
“It is an important commitment from Kez because it is the preferred outcome for the people of Aberdeen and the surrounding area.
“It will be music to the ears of staff at NHS Grampian as well.”
But Mr Stewart: “This is total nonsense from Labour – who know full well that no decision has yet been reached and are clearly more interested in politicking with issues of substance than they are in supporting local healthcare in Grampian.
“The SNP is delivering record funding for the NHS with more people working in our health services than ever before.
“The Scottish Government is developing a new major trauma network in which Aberdeen will play its part and I look forward to seeing what final decision is made on the shape of these services.”
The other candidates for Aberdeen Central are the Scottish Liberal Democrat’s Ken McLeod and the Scottish Conservative’s Tom Mason.
