I announced on 19 May the Executive’s decision to dissolve NHS Argyll and Clyde and consult on the boundaries of the boards – namely, NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Highland – that will assume responsibility for the planning and provision of healthcare services in the area. The matter of the boundaries of the successor boards has been subject to formal public consultation which was launched on 8 August and ran until 11 November.I have carefully considered all representations and the results of the consultation and concluded that the healthcare interests of patients and local people would be best served by adopting option one; that is: incorporating the Argyll and Bute council area within NHS Highland, and the rest of the Argyll and Clyde area within NHS Greater Glasgow.I genuinely believe that by redrawing the boundaries of NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Highland in this way we will have a basis for the more rational and effective planning and provision of services; an opportunity to better reflect and respond to patient flows; the chance to reduce overheads by sharing services, and, in line with Delivering for Health, a real opportunity to explore all options for providing high quality, safe and sustainable healthcare services as close to people’s homes as possible.This decision will be the subject of an Executive debate at 14:55 this afternoon in Parliament.