§ Mr. Ron BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about Lothian health board's proposals to close the paediatric unit and the evening accident and emergency unit at Edinburgh Western general hospital.
§ Mr. Michael ForsythLothian health board is considering the responses received to a consultative document issued on 25 November about changes to paediatric services in its area. The board proposes to open a purpose-built medical paediatric ward at the new district general hospital at Livingston and to provide the accident and emergency services and the medical paediatric in-patient services for the remainder of its area at the Royal hospital for sick children, Edinburgh. Outpatient medical paediatric services will continue at the Western general hospital, Edinburgh and the surgical paediatric workload there will increase following other recent changes to paediatric services in Edinburgh.