Prof Kerr is touring health services in Scotland

Professor David Kerr has the job of coming up with a national strategy for modernising the NHS and finding ways to preserve local services.

The Glasgow-born professor was appointed by the Scottish Executive last April to oversee changes.

Plans to overhaul the system have caused controversy across Scotland.

The NHS needs to modernise in order to meet new rules over doctors working hours, their pay, medical specialisation and stricter guidelines on standards of care.

However, the solutions that health boards have come up with so far have proved highly unpopular, as they often involve moving emergency and complex surgery from local hospitals to large, centralised hospitals.

I think we want to deliver a healthcare service that's close to the people, where it's most needed Professor David Kerr Oxford University

It is understood Professor Kerr is looking at compromise solutions, such as creating new career paths for doctors in general medicine so they can continue to work in smaller hospitals.

He told BBC Scotland's Politics Show he did not foresee "unpicking" any major decisions that have already been taken.

But he said: "I'm up in Scotland for a few days to look, learn and listen, to take soundings not only from the local bodies, consultants, healthcare professionals, but from people, from politicians and from the various pressure groups.

"I think that we have a lot of health boards and part of our job is to try to get national, regional planning done much better."

He added: "None of us would debate travelling for specialist services like cancer, unusual cardiac things and for difficult complex operations.

"I have a much more open mind about A&E.

"I think we want to deliver a healthcare service that's close to the people, where it's most needed, and that doesn't mean centralising everything, not by any means at all."