PARENTS claim their campaign to save a paediatric ward from closure in Paisley has the backing of nurses at Glasgow’s new children’s hospital and paramedics.

The health board wants to close ward 15 Royal Alexandra Hospital which deals with emergency admission and day surgery and transfer services to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Parents have raised concerns that the new children’s hospital will struggle to cope with thousands more paediatric patients each year and claim staff share their concerns.

According to health board figures, around 8000 extra patients will be treated each year at the RHC including 7339 A&E patients and emergency admissions.

Carolann Davidson, who is leading the Kids Need Our Ward campaign said: “I’ve had (Glasgow_ nurses come up to me and say ‘We don’t have room for you.’

“We don’t have the capacity if Ward 15 closes.

“Ambulance paramedics are signing our petition and saying they don’t want to move out of their catchment area.”

However, NHSGGGC leaders have strongly refuted capcity concerns and say the 16-bedded ward at the RAH is usually only half full.

Jamie Redfern, general manager of paediatric services for NHSGGC said: “On any given day there are eight patients in the RAH ward and at the children’s hospital there are 40 free beds.

“If you transfer the eight you’ve still got 32.

“There is more than enough physical space to manage this transfer.”

Dr Jennifer Armstrong, Medical Director of NHSGGC said: “I can’t comment on who has signed the petition but I’ve spoken directly to Dr Jim Ward, director of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“His clear view is that the ambulance staff will support the clinical model.

“They want the patients to get the best clinical care as well.”

Fiona Mack, a nurse at Gartnavel Hospital, has a 10 month-old baby Gerard who received life-saving treatment at Ward 15. She questions the health board’s argument that children will have access to improved clinical care in Glasgow.

She said: “My son was admitted when he was four months old.

“He had Sepsis. If it wasn’t for the quick action my son wouldn’t be alive.

“They identified very quickly what was wrong with him.

“He is now treated at the new hospital and staff have told me that they would have given him exactly the same treatment.

“I just feel, it’s a local service, two minutes away. It’s so important.”

Parents have arranged a public meeting on February 2 at 7.30pm at Paisley Central Baptist Church. The health board consultation is due to end on February 6.