Staffing numbers at the Vale of Leven Hospital have been slashed by over 20% under the SNP according to new figures obtained by Jackie Baillie under Freedom of Information.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board have published figures since 2008 which show that there are almost 200 fewer members of staff based at the hospital. Nurses and midwives have taken the largest hit with 90 fewer posts at the Vale of Leven Hospital since the SNP government came to power.

The health board also confirmed that the reduction in staff numbers was as a result of the Vision for the Vale.

There are 15 members of medical staff currently based at the Vale but health board officials have been ‘unable’ to reveal the information for previous years, concealing the true extent of the cuts.

Jackie has now challenged the SNP candidate for Dumbarton Constituency to withdraw her latest election leaflet which praises rising staff numbers in our NHS despite the fact that one in five jobs at the Vale have been lost in recent years.

Jackie said:

“The SNP were full of promises when the Vision for the Vale was launched in 2009. We were told that it would protect and enhance local services but the health board has continued to chip away at services and staff numbers, with the SNP Government in Edinburgh doing nothing to stop the cuts.

“These new figures show that one in five jobs have been lost from the Vale under the SNP, including 90 nurses and midwives. This is not only a huge blow for local patients who rely on the services provided by staff, but it also has an impact on the local NHS workforce and the economy in Dumbarton, Alexandria and Helensburgh.

“Now that even the health board has admitted the cuts despite the Vision for the Vale, the SNP must be the only ones left who think that the Vale has been protected. It’s time for the SNP to face up to the facts and come clean about the cuts being planned for after the election. A good starting point would be to apologise for misleading people about her Government’s record of slashing staff numbers at the Vale