Well done !

The ladies in green are volunteers who help MacMillan Cancer Support and they have been very active over the past few years in Lochgilphead , raising money to allow a chemotherapy unit to be established in their Community Hospital. Today I had the privilege of opening it.

It is a tremendous asset to the local area, allowing patients who are undergoing chemotherapy , supervised by the Beatson in Glasgow, to receive their treatment in their local facility which not only does away with the very long drive but also helps in the support of patient's families.

The unit has been a long time in the planning but slowly the funds have built up and the confidence in all parties that was necessary to allow the development has grown too. The local CHP , the local GPs who run the hospital (very well, it has to be said - I have visited before and am always very impressed) , the staff and the community have all been important in making this happen.

It is also a wonderfully planned facility , with this room being the treatment centre (and it also has a great view down to the loch) and a separate room for families either to get a space away from pressure or to stay when that is required.

Too often I hear complaints about services being lost to my constituency as things move towards the centre. Sometimes that is necessary given technological improvements or decline in usage. But this is a great example of how, with imagination and hard work, there can be a movement in the opposite direction. I would love to see it replicated across Argyll & Bute.