Mum who relied on NICU care 'deeply disappointed' after FM meeting on Ninewells downgrade plans

A Perthshire mum who credits the neonatal intensive care unit in Dundee with saving her baby’s life, says she’s been left “deeply disappointed” following a meeting with the First Minister.

Lauren Bruce’s daughter Grace was gravely ill when she was born in March this year.

The mum-of-three held a meeting with her local MSP, John Swinney, regarding plans to centralise services to Scotland’s three largest cities.

It would see facilities like Ninewells Hospital in Dundee downgraded, meaning the sickest babies would be transferred to either Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

“I had my own complications in surgery,” said Lauren.

“At that time they were looking to transfer Grace to Glasgow because in that moment there were no available NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) beds.

“At Ninewells Hospital they had reached capacity but they managed to get a space for her.

“I almost faced waking up without my baby and without my husband.”

‘Deeply disappointed‘

Lauren met with the First Minister, alongside another campaigner, Lynne McRitchie, whose local hospital in Wishaw is also under review.

“I left the meeting feeling deeply disappointed,” added Lauren.

“He [John Swinney] believes maternity services should be viewed separately from NICU services, despite the obvious link between them through the care women and babies receive.

“That fundamentally overlooks how these services work together.”

The Scottish Government believes centralising services to Scotland’s three largest cities will offer the best care to the sickest babies.

A spokesperson for Swinney confirmed he met Lauren in his capacity as her constituency MSP.

They added: “He has previously written to the Health Secretary to raise her concerns and is awaiting a formal response to these points.

“He was grateful for Ms Bruce’s perspective and for the opportunity to hear directly about her experiences.

“Following their meeting, Mr Swinney offered to meet with Ms Bruce again in the near future.”

Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs Maree Todd said: “Ninewells Hospital will retain its neonatal intensive care services – which are highly valued and continue to provide care for the vast majority of babies who need it.

“However, for a very small number of the very sickest and most pre-term babies, we must follow the clinical evidence that care for these babies is safest in specialist units that treat a higher number of patients. These changes were announced in 2023 and are backed by the clinical experts and Bliss – the UK’s leading charity for premature babies.

“Only around 50 to 60 babies who are born extremely premature will be affected. It’s important to be clear this model is only for the very sickest infants who require, for example, life-saving surgery.

“Babies receiving care in one of the three intensive care units in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen will be transferred back to their local neonatal unit for ongoing care as soon as safe to do so. Families are also supported with accommodation, food and travel costs to be with their baby in these units.”