Press Release
26th February 2003
Birth Drama Underlines
Importance of Local Maternity Services – McNeil
MSP for Greenock & Inverclyde,
Duncan McNeil, says the dramatic events surrounding the recent
birth of a baby from Inverkip within minutes of arriving at the
Rankin Maternity Unit underlines the importance of local
maternity services.
"I am of course delighted to hear that both mother and baby are doing well," Mr McNeil said today.
"We cannot avoid the fact that situations such as this do arise – even when maternity services are at hand. However, it is plain that if pregnant women were expected to travel outwith the area when ready to give birth, the risk would be greatly increased.
"I have recently discussed these risks in great detail with the Ambulance Service who are, following the closure of the Vale of Leven’s maternity unit, ferrying mothers from Dumbarton to the Queen Mother’s in Glasgow and the RAH in Paisley.
"Now that we have an assurance that
the option of a consultant-led unit at the Rankin will be
included in the forthcoming consultation on the future of
maternity services, the risks of sending mothers on long journeys
will certainly be one of the arguments I will be using to back up
my firmly held view that such a consultant-led unit is the most
sensible and the safest option."
ENDS
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