Concerns have been raised about the temporary closure of a ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that ward 1A was closed to patients and was expected to reopen on July 17.

The health board said the hospital experienced a drop in patient numbers over the holidays and the decision would allow it to meet holiday requests from staff.

Read more: Children's ward at Glasgow's superhospital closed as summer holidays begin

Glasgow Times:

Kevin Hill, women and children's services director, said: "This is a five-day ward and the decision to temporarily suspend activity for the first two weeks of the summer holidays was taken due to a significant decrease of planned patient activity throughout the Royal Hospital for Children and enables us to also meet the higher level of requests for annual leave from our clinical staff.

"The hospital typically experiences a decrease in planned patient numbers during July due to summer holidays.

"The small group of patients who use the sleep service have already had appointments scheduled from July 17 onwards."

The decision follows news the children's ward at St John's Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian, is to close to inpatients over the summer as a result of staff shortages.

Read more: Children's ward at Glasgow's superhospital closed as summer holidays begin

Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said the ward closure at the Royal Hospital for Children was "unbelievable" and "shocking".

He said: "We have been saying for months that our NHS workforce are undervalued, under-resourced and overworked.

"The decision to cut training numbers has left devastating consequences, leaving even more pressure on staff, services cut and now this example of an actual ward closing.

Read more: Children's ward at Glasgow's superhospital closed as summer holidays begin

"This follows a pattern of St John's closing its children's ward because of staffing issues and the RAH (Royal Alexandra Hospital) children's ward under threat of being closed permanently.

"These closures are not down to clinical need but to a failure to properly manage our NHS. It is simply not good enough."