Protestors due to gather atYMCA
Vocal protests will greet the Scottish health secretary today as she meets families affected by the potential closure of Paisley’s sick kids’ ward.
Shona Robison will sit down with members of the Kids Need Our Ward ( KNOW) group to hear their views on the proposed closure of ward 15 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
It’s expected she will be met by a large crowd of campaigners outside the meeting’s venue at the YMCA in the town centre this afternoon.
In February, the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board recommended that paediatric inpatient service be transferred to the new Royal Hospital for Children, in Glasgow.
The final decision on the ward’s future now rests with Ms Robison.
Paisley- based Labour MSP Neil Bibby welcomed the meeting, but says it should have included more families directly affected by any change.
He said: “Shona Robison is finally to coming Paisley, after months of requests for a private meeting with families affected by the closure of ward 15.
“She should have held a public meeting to allow people to raise their concerns with her directly.
“The key question that she needs to answer is whether or not she will reverse the decisions to close the ward.
“I would encourage people to continue to make their views heard to the SNP government and Shona Robison.”
SNP candidate for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, Mhairi Black, will host the meeting, which will be attended by mum Fiona Mack, who says that ward 15 saved her son Gerard’s life.
Carolann Davidson, the spokesperson for the KNOW group, will also be there to air the views of concerned parents.
Although the meeting itself is invite only, protesters will gather outside the YMCA on High Street, Paisley, to greet her arrival at the venue.
Organisers have asked anyone wishing to be involved to gather at 1.15pm ahead of the meeting’s start at 2pm.