Vale of Leven health leaders have urged patients not to self-refer to the hospital's medical assessment unit and get a referral instead.

At the latest meeting with the Hospital Watch group, Melanie McColgan, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Clyde sector director, emphasised the importance of having a referral to the Vale of Leven's Medical Assessment Unit (MAU).

Patients can be referred to the MAU by their GP or by calling NHS 24 on 111 out of hours.

Those who arrive without an appointment may be redirected to another service, which could have been arranged earlier if they had made contact with their GP or NHS 24 in advance.

The meeting, attended by four members of Hospital Watch led by chair Jim Moohan, also discussed winter pressures facing hospitals across Scotland, such as flu, Covid-19, and norovirus.

Plans to increase bed capacity if necessary and the importance of tackling delayed discharge were also on the agenda.

Ms McColgan said: "We were pleased to have another positive and productive meeting with members of the Hospital Watch group at the Vale of Leven Hospital today.

"We value their support in helping us reiterate our messages to the public, and are always happy to give them a full update about activity at the hospital.

"As we move into the winter period with additional pressures on our hospitals, we are asking the public to help us ensure they get the right care in the right place by contacting their GP in-hours for non-life-threatening conditions, or NHS 24 on 111 outside normal hours.

"This will allow us to refer patients to the right place for them, reducing the need for any secondary transfer."

The group was told that the Vale of Leven now has 40 GPs in its out-of-hours service and that a dedicated Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) Clinic has restarted at the hospital, led by a stroke consultant.

Mr Moohan said: "It is important the public follow the pathway created over the last few years in relation to attendance at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

"That includes seeking advice and following the link provided by their pharmacy and GP, and allowing the GP to move the situation forward where necessary.

"Breaking that link puts undue pressure on the hospital and we are grateful to the public for continuing to follow this pathway by contacting their GP in-hours, and NHS 24 on 111."