Hyslop Echoes the Importance of 24/7 Children’s Services at St John’s
Local Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop has reiterated the importance of 24/7 Children’s Services at St John’s Hospital – as recommended by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health – following a debate in parliament on Wednesday 21st February.
“I have always maintained the importance of fulfilling the recommendations of the RCPCH Report which called for children’s services to be open 24/7 when it is safe to do so and I have met with recently with the Health Secretary and the Chief Executive of NHS Lothian to impress this.
“Last night’s (Wed 21st February) debate in Parliament allowed for backbench MSPs to raise their concerns about the evening closures and I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary for Health will be reiterating those concerns back to the health board. The Cabinet Secretary for Health also said that 6 of the 8 required consultants had been recruited with another in the process of recruitment and that is welcome progress.”
“The staff at St John’s Hospital are first class and the children’s ward is held in high esteem by the local community. As I have stated before, I think it is vital that that politicians do everything to support the recruitment of paediatricians and advanced nurse practitioners by being positive about the future and what the hospital offers. We must show prospective paediatricians that St John’s is a worthwhile and sustainable place to work and that West Lothian is a great place to live.”
ENDS
Notes to editor:
Fiona also jointly produced a thorough and comprehensive submission to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Children’s Health (RCPCH) Review with SNP Colleagues at Parliamentary and Council level expressing the importance of Children’s Services at St John’s Hospital. The report detailed population predictions, local area information and included case studies.