Paisley's RAH children's ward to temporarily close this weekend due to staff shortage

The children’s ward at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital will close this weekend because there's not enough staff to run it.

The Health Board decided in February to move services at Ward 15 to the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow but campaigners say that's too far for some local families.

Earlier this month the Health Secretary Shona Robison paid the hospital a visit, telling us she would make the final decision on its future in due course.

Carolann Davidson's been leading calls to keep it open and fears this temporary closure is the beginning of the end...

A NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesperson said: "Paediatric services at the RAH will temporarily run on from Monday to Thursday on a 24 hours a day basis and on a Friday cease to receive admissions at noon and close at 7pm. This will ensure the vast bulk of clinical activity continues to be delivered to our young patients in the hospital’s ward 15.

"Despite best efforts of our managers and clinical leads we are unable to safely staff the ward throughout 24 hours across 7 days for the rest of July due to a combination of nurses leaving, others on maternity leave and an on-going challenge to recruit more paediatric nurses.

"We continue to actively recruit paediatric nursing staff to maintain all our inpatient, outpatient and day care services for children. We are advertising locally, nationally and internationally.

"There is a shortage of paediatric nurses right across the UK but we have been successful in attracting a number of skilled paediatric nurses in recent weeks and our efforts to recruit more are continuing.

"The temporary weekend closure of ward 15 will come into effect from Friday, 21st July and the following weekend. The ward is at its quietest over the weekend and any patients requiring hospital treatment over the weekend will be treated at the Royal Hospital for Children on the Queen Elizabeth campus.

"The situation will remain under constant review as we continue to find solutions to the staffing shortage challenge.

"Our commitment and priority is always to patient care and safety and this is the only reason we have taken this temporary decision.

"On Friday 21st July the ward will close to new admissions at 12.00pm noon. All remaining patients who require ongoing inpatient care will be transferred to RHC. On Friday 21st July the ward will close at 7.00pm and remain closed over the weekend. The ward will re-open on Monday 24th July at 8.00am."