Rule out Vale maternity cuts now, Jackie Baillie urges Shona Robison

MSP Jackie Baillie has urged Health Secretary Shona Robison to ease pressure on maternity services by immediately ruling out the proposed closure of the birthing unit at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Maternity services in Glasgow reached breaking point this week as pregnant women were turned away at the doors of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital due to a lack of capacity.

It was the first time the unit had to close its doors to new admissions since 2009.

Shona Robison is due to consider plans to close birthing units in the Vale of Leven and Inverclyde and transfer all births to the Royal Alexandra Hospital or the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Ms Baillie said it would be ‘foolish’ to centralise services south of the River Clyde at a time when doctors and midwives are already struggling to cope with demand.

“This is every woman’s worst nightmare,” she said.

“It is completely unacceptable to see women, who are about to give birth, being turned away at the doors of Scotland’s biggest hospital because the wards are full..

“Maternity services are already at breaking point and it would be foolish and irresponsible to send even more mums-to-be to Paisley and Glasgow.

“The SNP Health Secretary should immediately rule out more centralisation and abandon the proposals to close the maternity units at the Vale of Leven and Inverclyde hospitals.

“Wasting taxpayers’ money on a consultation would only delay the decision for another three months at a time it is already clear to everyone that we need more capacity in our NHS.”