A new deal for childcare services given go-ahead

According to new plans, childcare services in the west of Scotland; Inverclyde, is to be revamped

According to new plans, childcare services in the west of Scotland; Inverclyde, is to be revamped.

Maintenance of core hospital-based services for children and increase in the range of community-based services will be looked after by Greater Glasgow Health board.

An already existing ward at Inverclyde Royal Hospital (IRH) will be converted into a new children’s centre. Children's hospital services, therapy services currently provided by the Skylark Child Development Centre, community nursing services and the Children with Disability Team, all will be brought together under the one roof.

Dr Brian Cowan, medical director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "The changes are designed to make better use of the specialist staff skills and resources available and ensure the vast majority of services for children continue to be provided in the local area.

"By providing increased support and preventative care in the community we also aim to reduce the number of children who have to be transferred to Paisley or Glasgow for treatment."

According to the proposals, the acute assessment unit in the children’s ward at IRH will be transferred to the Royal Alexandra Hospital(RAH) in Paisley.

The health chiefs decided this at a meeting of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board.

This will make the ill children at Inverclyde to travel to Paisley for treatment. According to them only a small number of patients will be affected by the closure of the acute assessment unit.

But Dr Tom Fyfe, an Inverclyde councillor ,said the number of patients affected would be one a day, not one a week. Dr Fyfe said: "The recommendation talked about the transfer of 'a small number of patients, currently one or two per week”. “This is misleading as one child a day currently seen at the acute unit is taken to the RAH in Paisley for specialist observation."

Dr Brian Cowan, medical director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "The changes are designed to make better use of the specialist staff skills and resources available and ensure the vast majority of services for children continue to be provided in the local area.

"By providing increased support and preventative care in the community we also aim to reduce the number of children who have to be transferred to Paisley or Glasgow for treatment."

He said: "The changes are designed to make better use of the specialist staff skills and resources available and ensure the vast majority of services for children continue to be improved in the local area."