500 sick children forced to travel after services cut in staff crisis
AROUND 500 children have been diverted to another hospital after staff shortages closed a ward. Families have faced a 20-mile journey for vital care since overnight admissions were stopped last year at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian.
Paediatric patients are now transferred to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh because there are not enough doctors and nurses to cover shifts.
This is the third time the unit has had to shut its doors to inpatients because of staff shortages.
The ward was downgraded on July 7 last year, prompting warnings from local campaigners that longer journeys could put children’s safety at risk.
Papers at a recent NHS Lothian board meeting stated: “In the year since the temporary closure of the paediatric inpatient unit at St John’s Hospital there had been approximately 500 admissions from there to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, averaging at 1.6 admissions per day.”
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Children still have urgent assessment and routine care between 8am and 8pm and St John’s accident and emergency department also continues to assess and treat children at all times, but any who need to be admitted are now transferred to Edinburgh.
In 2007, Nicola Sturgeon, then Health Secretary, gave a “personal commitment” to St John’s future.
NHS Lothian insists it is “committed to increasing staffing levels and reinstating the 24/7 model when it is safe and sustainable to do so”.
Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs has criticised the “gradual downgrading of hospital services” in the area. He also warned that patients in Perth and Kinross and Renfrewshire faced similar problem.
The situation facing sick children and their parents in West Lothian is completely unacceptable.
“The situation facing sick children and their parents in West Lothian is completely unacceptable,” he said.
“This proves the decision to close the ward to 24/7 admissions, and downgrade the hospital more generally, has had a genuinely negative impact.
“The SNP needs to wake up to the importance of local services. It’s not just patients in West Lothian affected.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Patient safety must always be the top priority and NHS Lothian’s decision followed a detailed risk assessment and puts the safety of children and their families first.
“NHS Lothian has given an assurance that it is committed to increasing staffing levels and reinstating the 24/7 model, and the Health Secretary recently wrote to its Acting Chief Executive to request a report on progress by the end of the summer.
“Transport arrangements have been put in place to assist families.”
