NHS Forth Valley says plans are in hand to keep up prime quality remedy for respiratory sufferers when 5 consultants who resigned inside two weeks of one another lastly go away.
The well being board stated workers go away for a wide range of causes together with profession improvement and promotions - however the resignations have been broadly reported after the commerce union Unison raised considerations that affected person security could be impacted.
Unison stated its predominant concern was how affected person security could be maintained and "unsupportable burdens on workers averted" given the difficulties with recruitment going into winter.
Learn extra: NHS Forth Valley prepares for winter because it struggles to deal with numbers
At a gathering of NHS Forth Valley's well being board on Tuesday, Councillor Fiona Collie requested what impression the departure of the consultants would have on providers and what contingency plans have been in place if the vacancies weren't crammed shortly.
Andrew Murray, NHS Forth Valley's medical director, stated the discover intervals of the 5 consultants could be in December and January.
He stated they'd been working "at tempo" to find out what would occur after the consultants transfer on.
4 consultants from NHS Lothian will be part of Forth Valley's workers financial institution to ship a few of the core providers, together with pressing instances.
"We hope that can imply that a part of the service is correctly protected and supported and sufferers will nonetheless expertise prime quality care," stated Mr Murray.
The board is presently recruiting to fill the vacancies and so they have had some curiosity.
Mr Murray added in addition they have an in depth staff of medical nurse specialists and they're creating an Superior Observe put up.
He advised board members that Forth Valley has additionally made hyperlinks with NHS Tayside for assist with a few of the much less pressing instances within the referral course of.
"It is not a place we might need to be in however really it's presenting us with a possibility to revamp the service," he stated.
He provided the board his reassurance that the service would be capable of provide a consultant-led service and see the entire sufferers being referred, particularly pressing instances.