Previously in Parliament I raised the issue of the cancellation of Dunfermline based Sheds Hairdressing’s contract to provide hairpieces to the NHS. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing agreed to meet to discuss the issue further and I am delighted to say that the decision looks to have been reversed and the contract will hopefully now be renewed.

Sheds Hairdressing provides a vital service supplying and personalising wigs and hairpieces to many across Fife and this decision has caused a lot of concern and distress amongst clients. The hairdressers provide hairpieces to NHS patients who suffer from hair loss due to medical conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy and alopecia. The salon has had more than 200 referrals in the past year.

It had looked like there would be no further referrals to Sheds after the NHS deemed the shop not to be disable friendly due to its consultation service being upstairs, this is despite the salon passing an assessment only a year ago and home visits being offered to those unable to access the premises.

An online petition calling for NHS Scotland to allow Sheds Hairdressing to continue this service was started by concerned locals and reached over 1,000 signatures. The online petition showed the strength of feeling in the area that the decision taken to stop the contract with the NHS was the wrong one. I am therefore encouraged that all parties are working together to reach a common sense resolution and that Sheds should be able to continue providing its service in the next couple of weeks.

After raising the issue in Parliament with the Cabinet Secretary it was important that we reached a solution that would be in the best interests of all involved. It is also important that we learn lessons so we don’t find ourselves in a similar situation when future contracts come up to tender. I’m pleased that people in Fife will now have a range of choices open to them and will be able to access the service that best suits their needs.