PRESS RELEASE
For immediate Use:
Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Local MSPs Fiona Hyslop and Angela Constance lead delegation meeting with the Paediatric Review Team
The two constituency MSPs for West Lothian, Angela Constance and Fiona Hyslop, led a delegation of local SNP politicians to meet with the team tasked with reviewing paediatric services across the Lothian’s. On Tuesday night the SNP politicians presented a detailed case outlining why a 24 hour 7 day a week paediatric ward at St John’s Hospital is crucial to a community with a growing population. Also in attendance and giving support to local services were MPs, Hannah Bardell and Martyn Day and Cllr Janet Campbell, a qualified midwife and the SNP group spokesperson on Health and Care.
Speaking after the meeting Fiona Hyslop MSP said:
” It was important for the Review Team to hear about the strength of feeling in West Lothian in support of our children’s ward and services being maintained on a 24/7 basis but also to have this backed up by facts, local experience and evidence in a rational manner and to avoid any unwarranted scare-mongering.
“With an above average 20% of West Lothian’s population under 15 and with new housing attracting more families to West Lothian we need strong local health services. The clinical support overnight at St John’s underpins maternity and special baby care services and the connection between provision makes a strong case to maintain overnight paediatric services in hospital.”
Angela Constance MSP said:
“Along with my SNP colleagues, we had a lengthy and productive meeting with the Paediatric Review Team and we presented a detailed case in support of a 24/7 children’s ward. Everyone knows that West Lothian population is the same as Dundee and that we have growing numbers of children. 40% of babies across Lothian region are born at St. John’s therefore a range of children’s services are essential.
“I also presented real examples of local children who had benefitted from first class treatment in their local hospital, where they have been assessed and treated quickly. If it had not been for the paediatric ward these children would have been cared for far away from home, with their families experiencing additional financial costs and for some children longer recovery times. For some seriously ill children they can return to St. John’s from Yorkhill or the Sick Kids to recuperate nearer to home.”
Both MSPs are urging constituents to share their views on the pan Lothian review of paediatric services by completing the survey online at
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RCPCHLothian
Additional information on the review can be found on the RCPCH website at
http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/improving-child-health/better-nhs-children/service-delivery/invited-reviews/lothian-review/lothian-r
The survey will be confidential and anonymous and will run throughout the term of the review, although ideally responses should be completed by February 14th.