Politicians of all parties should unite against cuts to vital local health services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

That’s the message from local MSP Jackie Baillie who will ask her colleagues in Holyrood this week to back the campaign to save the Vale.

Jackie Baillie has lodged a motion condemning NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board’s plans to cut services, staff and beds at hospitals across the west of Scotland, including the Vale and the RAH in Paisley.

The health board formally announced in February that it is considering a number of options to reduce its costs by £69 million in 2016-17. The health board confirmed that the scale of the cuts required has actually increased since the Scottish Government’s budget uplift was included.  According to a confidential paper leaked earlier this year, officials are already working on plans to:

• Transfer all emergency care services from the Vale of Leven Hospital to the RAH
• Close Community Maternity Units across the west of Scotland
• Cut staff and beds at the Vale

Jackie Baillie will also use a Holyrood debate today to urge the SNP Government to reverse the decision to close ward 6 and protect all other services at the Vale earmarked for closure by the health board.

Jackie said:

“The health board’s £69 million cuts would change the very nature of local health services in West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond.

“We need a cast iron-guarantee from the SNP Health Secretary that she will reject all of the cuts mentioned in the secret health board paper and oppose any further cuts to staff, beds and services at the Vale. So far the SNP has talked a lot about the past but have heard very little about their plans for the future of the Vale.

“I hope that MSPs from all parties will sign my motion to show their solidarity with people in Dumbarton, Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond who are fed up of cuts to our local hospital. This issue goes beyond party politics and I am prepared to work with anyone to secure the future of the Vale and its hard-working staff