Parents whose premature babies were taken care of at Wishaw General’s award-winning neonatal unit say plans to downgrade the service are “devastating and dangerous”.
Scottish Government proposals would see the number of neonatal intensive care units cut from eight to three.
As a result, Scotland’s sickest babies would need to go to Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen for treatment.
STV NewsA petition against the plans has already gathered more than 25,000 signatures.
On Monday, parents met with MSPs urging them to reconsider the plans and allow families with sick babies stay closer to home.
‘My baby being born premature felt like a rollercoaster off its tracks’
For Andy and Marion, family life has been a whirlwind after their little girl arrived unexpectedly at 24 weeks.
“She wasn’t expected until November, this place is absolutely brilliant,” dad Andy said.
“For Olivia, we come in every day. If you put her up in Aberdeen, where you going to put us? Where are we going to be?”
STV NewsWishaw General’s neonatal unit is just one of eight across Scotland that provide intensive care to premature and seriously ill babies.
None of them will close under the current plans, but services would be downgraded from level three to level two care, meaning specific intensive care wards would be found at just three hospitals.
Families say that having to instead travel to Aberdeen, Glasgow or Edinburgh for care could put lives at risk.
STV NewsMum Lynne knows only too well how vital the care provided at Wishaw General’s neo-natal unit is.
Her son Innes was born at 23 weeks, and spent four months in intensive care.
“Innes weighed a total of 600g and was just tiny, he quite literally fit in the palm of your hand,” Lynne said.
“Quite often in the neo-natal journey, it’s referred to as a rollercoaster. It’s nowhere near, it’s like a rollercoaster that’s come off the tracks.
“You are literally putting your baby’s life in their hands. Having somebody so close by, that you know and you trust is invaluable.”
That experience is why she launched a petition to save the service, one that’s been backed by thousands of parents.
STV NewsAmong them is Michelle, whose son Owen weighed under a kilo when he was born by emergency C-section.
“I think it would be devastating for families for the potential for tiny, tiny babies to be separated from their mums,” Michelle said.
“Mothers to be isolated from their families, both physically and mentally. It feels like [Wishaw’s neo-natal unit] is too good to lose.”
‘Listening to concerns’
MSPs on Holyrood’s petitions committee visited the hospital on Monday to hear concerns from families directly.
They will continue to hear evidence before reporting back to parliament.
Petitions Committee convener Jackson Carlaw MSP said: “I think the question for us as a committee is, was the discussion that took place, was the consultation, was the clinical evidence that was considered sufficiently robust to justify that decision to move to three [neo-natal units] or should this award-winning facility here in Wishaw be one we potentially ask the government to think again about?”
The Scottish Government says it’s listening to concerns, but insists the plans are based on clinical evidence.
But for families here, it’s simple.
They say without Wishaw’s specialist care, some babies might not make it home at all.
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