Staff issues close children’s ward

ents are being told to take the normal steps of calling NHS 24 on 111 if they require health care or advice over the weekends. Children will still be assessed and treated in the emergency department and a paediatric consultant will be available on call 24/7.

If a child needs to be admitted to hospital, a transfer to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh will be arranged. Maternity and neonatal services at the hospital are unaffected.

The short stay assessment unit will not open on 23 or 24 December – however, normal service will resume on 25 December, Christmas Day. The same arrangements will apply the following weekend, with the unit not open on 30 or 31 January, before returning to normal on New Year’s Day.

Jacquie Campbell, chief officer of acute services at NHS Lothian, said: “Despite our best efforts, we have been unable to reliably secure the levels of staffing required on the festive weekends to guarantee a safe service. The safety of our patients must be our top priority and for that reason the unit will not open. This is the safest option for the children of West Lothian and normal service will resume at the start of each week.”

NHS Lothian said they are working closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS 24 and local GPS to ensure the provision of a safe and reliable service.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: “This is a scandal that grows worse by the week.

“The ward has been closed over two weekends already and now it will be closed another two over Christmas and New Year.

“People need a 24/7 children’s ward at St John’s – this has been recognised by two reports from the Royal College of Paediatrics, yet we are going backwards rather than forwards. We need action to end this mess.”