A motion, agreed at a meeting of South Lanarkshire Council, means the council will write to the Scottish Government Health Minister to seek answers about the award-winning neonatal unit at University Hospital, Wishaw being downgraded from an established Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to a Local Neonatal Unit

The motion was proposed by Councillor Richard Nelson and seconded by Councillor Celine Handibode.

The motion states:

“This decision followed the release of the 'Neonatal Intensive Care Options Appraisal Report' by the Scottish Government on July 23, 2023.

“The downgrading of this unit would result in NHS Lanarkshire, the third-largest health board, losing a highly functional, essential service for babies and their families.

“This affects not only Lanarkshire families but also those who have been transferred from across Scotland and England as part of the Scottish Perinatal Network.

“Families in Lanarkshire have already expressed significant concerns about these changes through an online petition signed by over 12,000 people.

“There are concerns that the correct process was not followed, and we believe that these key factors and questions must be addressed by the Scottish Government Health Minister:

“This council agrees to formally write to the Scottish Government Health Minister to seek answers to these key factors and calls for a full independent investigation into the decision-making process regarding the downgrade of the Neonatal Care Unit at University Hospital, Wishaw, with active participation from NHS Lanarkshire.

“Furthermore, we emphasise our commitment to safeguarding babies and families in our communities and our expectation of the highest quality of care for all in Lanarkshire.”