Shona Robison defends trauma centres delay in parliament

Shona Robison said the trauma centre network could save 40 lives a year

Some clinicians' doubts about the need for four trauma centres in Scotland delayed their roll-out, the Scottish Parliament has been told.

Shona Robison said that when she took up her post as health secretary, there was a suggestion only two were needed.

But she said there was now a consensus for trauma centres to be in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Conservatives have accused the government of a "complete failure of forward planning".

Look back on the ministerial statement on Holyrood Live.

Scottish Labour called for the health secretary to apologise, but Ms Robison refused to accept the criticism.

She said the £30m network could save around 40 lives a year.

In her ministerial statement, she said the project could also help many more people enjoy an improved quality of life.

The network was originally announced in 2014 and was supposed to open in 2016. But last week it emerged they would not be fully implemented until at least 2020.

'First-rate care'

However, Ms Robison said the centres in Aberdeen and Dundee could be operational within 12-18 months.

She added: "It was right to take the time to build that consensus rather than push ahead with a model that didn't have that clinical buy-in."

She said that the 6,000 people a year who experience trauma in Scotland already get "first rate" care in accident and emergency departments.

The new network would provide "optimal care" for around 1,100 of the most seriously injured, she added.