That the Parliament notes the view that it is vitally important to ensure that the Best Start new model of neonatal care delivers the highest standards of care for the most vulnerable babies, including those in the Central Scotland region; further notes the view that implementation of this new model must prioritise the safety of babies, be underpinned by adequate and sustained funding, including for appropriate staffing levels, and include sufficient provision of overnight accommodation for parents on neonatal units; understands the view that families require reassurance that changes to services will improve outcomes and not compromise access to specialised care, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to provide an update on progress towards implementation of the new model of neonatal care and a timescale for when the new model will be fully operational, to clarify whether there are any expected changes to the plans, as announced by the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health on 25 July 2023, and to set out how it will ensure that what it sees as these essential criteria, including provision of overnight accommodation, are met in line with its planned timescale.
Supported by:
Jackie Baillie, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Finlay Carson, Foysol Choudhury, Sharon Dowey, Tim Eagle, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Dr Pam Gosal MBE, Rhoda Grant, Dr Sandesh Gulhane (Registered interest)
, Craig Hoy, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Lumsden, Edward Mountain, Douglas Ross, Alexander Stewart, Paul Sweeney, Annie Wells, Brian Whittle