THE Vale of Leven Hospital's maternity unit is on the brink of closure.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde voted on Tuesday to begin the public consultation process to close the community maternity unit at the Vale.

If closure is approved, all births in the Helensburgh area would be transferred to other units further away from the town, including Paisley's Royal Alexandra and Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University hospitals.

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie revealed leaked documents last month which suggested closure of the Vale's maternity unit was being considered by the health board – prompting First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to promise that the Scottish Government would “ not approve proposals that run counter to the Vision for the Vale”.

The 2009 'Vision for the Vale' plans promised to protect and promote local hospital services, including the maternity unit, until at least July 2011.

But despite those efforts, the number of babies born at the Vale has fallen sharply in recent years – despite a steady birth rate among local women.

Ms Baillie said: “The Vision for the Vale promised to sustain local delivery services at the Community Maternity Unit (CMU) and the SNP Government must ensure that these promises are kept.

“I will be working alongside local campaigners to demand the SNP health secretary’s intervention to save our local services.

“The health board’s attempt to try and rush this closure through while paying minimal lip service to public consultation is yet another slap in the face for local families.

“This is not a genuine and meaningful consultation and the health board’s claim that engagement has already taken place is, quite frankly, ludicrous.

"The health board has a £69m black hole in its budget this year and it is clearly determined to cut our local services without listening to the views of people in our communities.

“Only the SNP Government has the power now to step in and save our local services. The cabinet secretary must insist that the final decision on the CMU is hers and hers alone. The SNP must not remain silent while the health board rips up the promises made in the Vision for the Vale.”

West of Scotland Conservative MSP Maurice Corry, who lives in Helensburgh, added: “I support fully the retention of full maternity services at the Vale of Leven Hospital, and I would implore all residents to take part in the consultation when it is launched and to strongly support the retention of those services.”

Health secretary Shona Robison said she still saw "a bright future for the hospital”.

She said: “No final decisions have been made on these proposals and the Scottish Government has not approved the proposals considered by the board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“The board must now engage with the affected local communities, staff, and other stakeholders so they can carefully consider their views. We would encourage everyone to engage with this process and feedback to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

“This government recognises that these are valued local services. NHS Greater and Glasgow has a record high budget this year of over £2bn, which has increased by over 27 per cent under this Government.”

Brendan O'Hara, the SNP MP for Argyll and Bute, added: “We need to be very clear about the future of the Vale.

“Maternity services are under consultation as they should always be so to ensure best practice, best service and best value for public funds; all NHS and care services need to evolve to ensure they remain fit for generations to come.

“If any changes are proposed following this consultation, they will not be approved by the Scottish Government unless they are consistent with national policy and that policy is approved in the Scottish Parliament.

“The services which were fit for purpose 20 years ago may not be fit in today’s climate and I would reiterate the personal assurances I received from Shona Robison MP that the Vale of Leven has a bright future.

“In an era where first-time mums are older than they were in previous generations, many prefer and many have to give birth in a state-of-the art hospital environment, which requires the support of a full-functioning major hospital.

“The NHS is currently in line for a record high budget in Scotland of over £2bn, an increase of over a quarter prior to the SNP coming into government.”

The closure of the Vale maternity unit is one of several proposed service changes set to go out for public consultation in early September: others include transferring emergency and elective in-patient and day case care from the RAH to the Royal Hospital for Children, reconfiguring in-patient rehabilitation services in the north of Glasgow, and closing Inverclyde Royal Hospital's community maternity unit.

Health board chairman John Brown said: “There has been already significant interest in the proposals and it is only right that the public have an opportunity to hear the clinical case for change and to have their views heard.

“We want to ensure that all affected, including those who have campaigned against change, are able to become fully involved in this process of service modernisation.“Our services are continually evolving and improving. Whilst the proposals do signal change, it is important to stress that, in each instance we are planning to retain local services within local communities.”