By STEWART PATERSON

Political Correspondent

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save a hospital the health board has proposed to close met the Health secretary to state the case for saving it.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde wants to close Lightburn Hospital in the east end, which provide rehabilitation for stroke patients and for people with Parkinson’s.

The final decision now rests with Shona Robison who visited the hospital to hear from staff and patients’ groups ahead of making her mind up.

The hospital was earmarked for closure six years ago before the then Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon stepped in and told the health board to keep it open and to invest in the facilities.

Now campaigners are hoping to persuade Ms Robison the same arguments apply, that it is a valuable community resource and patients shouldn’t be sent further afield for treatment.

The health board say services have changed since 2011 and people will get better more appropriate treatment in the community.

Patients who need a hospital stay or day care will go to Stobhill Hospital and others will be treated in their own home or in a care home.

Gerry McCann, of the Save Lightburn Hospital Action Group, was instrumental in the previous successful campaign and is hoping for a similar result once more.

He said he was confident of a positive outcome.

He said: “I’m confident she listened well to what we had to say. Everyone who was at the meeting put their case forward well and I’m sure she listened.

That’s all we have been asking for was for the Health Secretary to listen and for us to have a fair hearing and we got that.

“When I met Nicola Sturgeon six years ago we spoke from the heart which is better than any NHS presentation and we did the same this time.

“I remain confident we can have a positive outcome and it was a good meeting.”

Politicians from both the SNP and Labour have called for the hospital to be kept open.

Ivan McKee, SNP MSP for Provan was at the meetings with the Health Secretary.

He said: “It was a very intense and powerful session, with people honestly and sometimes painfully explaining why a local community hospital is so central to their health care.

"The Cabinet Secretary listened attentively and she was left in no doubt about the strength of feeling and the importance of having – and retaining - hospital and health care facilities in the East End.”