St John’s Paediatric Ward Re-opens as Promised

St John’s Paediatric Ward Re-opens as Promised

Linlithgow MSP, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed the news that St John’s Paediatric ward in Livingston has re-opened the this morning at 8am as planned.

Last month, Ms Hyslop met with the Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon to relay concerns about the temporary July closure and to ask for reassurances that this was a one off staffing issue.

Fiona said;

“Just as the Health Secretary made clear at a meeting in June, this temporary closure has come to an end and paediatric services have been re-opended at St John’s as of this morning at 8am.

“It should be made clear that this disappointing yet unavoidable decision was not an issue about funding but one about the availability of specialist paediatric consultants.

“I am pleased that as scheduled, the children’s ward has now reopened and I welcome the new additional fulltime consultants who are due to start in the Autumn and trainee Doctors starting in August to ensure that there is a secure long term future for children’s services at St John’s.”