Published: Thursday, 15th May, 2008 16:30
Shock at infant mortality rise
By Russell Steele
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INQUIRY DEMAND: Ciano Rebecchi.
SHOCKING new figures reveal infant mortality rates have rocketed in Inverclyde over the last four years.
The number of babies dying within the first year of life, which is totalled in five-year periods, has soared from 22 in 2004 to 39 in 2008.
Those statistics mean Inverclyde’s infant mortality rate now stands at an appalling 76 per cent above the national average.
The latest set of figures — compiled by the Glasgow Centre for Population and Health — have been described as ‘a scandal’ and one veteran health campaigner is calling for a full inquiry into the situation.
Ex-Provost Ciano Rebecchi has demanded answers over the figures and fears changes to maternity services could be a factor in them.
He told the Tele: “It is only another five babies short of a 100 per cent increase. How do we need to go about correcting this? I want an inquiry into decisions taken by the health board. We have shot up following reorganisation of the maternity service. There must be an inquiry.”
The damning figures emerged as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde bosses are consulting on controversial plans to remove birthing facilities at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and transfer them to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. They were discussed at a meeting of councillors yesterday — which saw them agree to delay their official response to the health board’s consultation exercise.
Ian Fraser, the council’s corporate director for health and social care, said: “I would like to take the report back to incorporate our concerns about these figures, and then re-submit it.”
Labour Councillor Robert Moran added: “This is a scandal.”
After the meeting, Councillor Rebecchi — a leading light in the fight to save services at Inverclyde Royal Hospital — said the increase highlighted the need for a consultant-led maternity unit at IRH.
He said: “We need a properly managed unit — the consultants for it could be on-call. We have got to fight for our maternity services if we are to have regeneration in this area.”
Council leader Stephen McCabe said it was important the issue should not become a fight between the council and health board chiefs And in a statement, Inverclyde Council said: “The council will take into account these figures as part of the preparation of a final response to the consultation.”
A statement from the health board stated: “We recognise that levels of poor health and deprivation in Inverclyde are high. This, in turn, has an impact on a wide range of factors including poverty, crime rates and child and maternal health.
“This is acknowledged in the maternity consultation document which points out many women are not able to opt to give birth in a Community Maternity Unit due to poor health.
“As a result, many local women require to be admitted to a consultant-led unit for clinical safety.”
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