Solving the inherent difficulties at the Beatson must now be our top national priority

Malcolm Chisholm

Health chiefs moved to allay fears on Monday after Dr Adrian Harnett announced his decision to quit.

It is understood that he and three other top consultants are leaving in protest at a lack of funds for the centre.

The resignations and the creation of six new posts mean that health officials now have to fill 10 vacancies.

Mr Chisholm said on Tuesday that he would visit the centre to "hear staff concerns at first hand - and to see if there is anything further we can do to help stabilise this situation".

"We have already committed substantial extra investment to cancer services in Scotland, backed by an excellent cancer strategy," he said.

Malcolm Chisholm will visit the centre

"Solving the inherent difficulties at the Beatson must now be our top national priority in driving forward that strategy."

However, he also warned opposition parties against alarming the public.

The Scottish National Party said the minister should be brought before the Scottish Parliament to explain the staffing problems.

Health spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon has submitted an emergency question on the issue at Holyrood.

"Less than two weeks ago health service managers in Glasgow announced an action plan to deal with the problems at the Beatson and yet they have been unable to prevent a fourth resignation," she said.

Working conditions

"The Health Minister, Malcolm Chisholm, must now come to the Scottish Parliament and explain the Scottish Executive's failure to sort this out."

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Margaret Smith urged the Scottish Executive to do all it can to improve working conditions and morale at the centre.

And Conservative MSP John Scott said Mr Chisholm had to act quickly to stem what he described as a growing crisis.

"Obviously, the time for talking is now past and something must be done to sort out the situation," he said.

Nicola Sturgeon has lodged a question at Holyrood

The first of the four consultants to resign is expected to leave by the end of December, the second in January and the third by February next year.

North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the centre, said it had drawn up contingency plans for managing the service during consultant vacancies.

Tom Divers, chief executive of the Greater Glasgow NHS Board, told BBC Scotland that plans had been drawn up to ensure that patients would continue to receive treatment.

"I and my colleagues are now involved in an action plan which has been developed to try to move forward," he said.

"The first priority is to work to maintain existing services for patients.

"It looks as though over the period of December and January, when the first two vacancies kick in, it will not be necessary for anyone to move outwith Greater Glasgow for treatment."