Major concerns have been expressed about the downgrading of an established Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The Neonatal Unit at University Hospital Wishaw is under threat of being downgraded
A motion, agreed unanimously at a meeting of South Lanarkshire Council, asked council officials to write to the Scottish Government to seek answers about the future of the award-winning neonatal unit at University Hospital, Wishaw.
National proposals to create three specialist intensive care neonatal units based in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow would mean the unit at Wishaw would be downgraded from a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to a Local Neonatal Unit.
Our Council believes the best quality of care should be available to families locally here in Lanarkshire.
The motion, which was proposed by Councillor Richard Nelson and seconded by Councillor Celine Handibode, received cross-party support.
Councillor Celine Handibode expressed concern and called on the Scottish Government to review the proposals
Councillor Handibode said:
I am greatly concerned about the downgrading of neonatal services in Lanarkshire. There are many questions and too few answers about the future of this award-winning unit.
Major concerns have been raised about these proposals across party lines and I would call on the Scottish Government to listen to the strength of feeling about this issue in South Lanarkshire and independently review these proposals.
Councillor Lynsey Hamilton says the best quality care should be available locally
Councillor Lynsey Hamilton added:
The Scottish Government is praising the Wishaw neonatal intensive care unit as being award-winning while simultaneously considering downgrading it. They need to take a pause, listen to the local community and the families who have depended on this unit.
Our Council believes the best quality of care should be available to families locally here in Lanarkshire.
A petition to save the unit has also been started by East Kilbride mum Lynne McRitchie who gave birth to her son Innes at the neonatal unit in 2019. Innes was born at 23 weeks, just two days over the threshold at which life support is commonly offered, but is now a thriving four-year-old thanks to the early care he received.
7th November 2023
