Kids’ ward to shut to save cash

Caroline Wilson

29 Jun 2011

A children’s ward at a Paisley hospital is to be axed by health bosses in a bid to save millions of pounds.

Plans by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to save £57 million, as reported in last night’s Evening Times, were put before health board members yesterday.

And the board defended proposals to cut the paediatric ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Robert Calderwood, Chief Executive, said there were “sound clinical reasons” for shutting the ward and insisted the plan had not been motivated by cash savings.

Under the review children’s services would be integrated into Glasgow’s Yorkhill hospital saving the board around £1m a year.

The move has sparked protests from nurses, parents and the leader of Renfrewshire council Brian Lawson, who accused the health board of attempting to keep the plan under wraps.

However the board say the plan is based on changing trends in paediatric surgery with ward occupancy rates dropping to 40% over 2010 and 2011 because of an increase in day patient procedures.

Other health services facing the axe include 17 mental health projects in Glasgow, including some for children with learning disabilities.

The board said it was inevitable a cost-savings of this scale would have a “significant impact on workforce”.

More than 100 admin staff, 70 managers and a raft of services are facing the axe under the proposals.

The plan will now go out to consultation.

Reproduced with permission of Herald & Times Group.