Swinney defends Wishaw NICU downgrade after by-election row

The Herald Scotland

a day ago

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the proposed changes to neonatal care showed the health service was 'simply not safe in John Swinney's hands'.
He cited local opposition, including an online petition that has attracted more than 25,000 signatures.
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Under the plans, the Wishaw unit will be downgraded to a level two facility, meaning babies born before 27 weeks will have to be transferred to one of three specialist centres in Aberdeen, Edinburgh or Glasgow.
The Scottish Government insists the move is based on expert clinical advice and will improve outcomes for the most premature and vulnerable babies.
Campaigners, however, warn it risks separating families and placing unnecessary stress on mothers.
Mr Sarwar highlighted the case of Tammy Johnston, who was unable to hold her premature son Kai for four weeks after birth.
'Under these plans, she could be forced to travel to Aberdeen or even further,' he warned.
He also cited Amanda Todd, who he said had been told she may need to give birth in Dublin due to bed shortages. 'Is it not the case that the NHS is simply not safe in John Swinney's hands?' he asked.
Mr Swinney rejected the claims, saying the proposals were about saving lives, not saving money.
'There is nothing in the proposal about Wishaw General Hospital that is about saving money,' he said. 'It is about maximising the chances of saving babies' lives. That is what the proposal is about — informed by expert opinion.'
He pushed back against suggestions that frontline voices were being ignored, insisting the Government was acting on the best available medical evidence.
Meanwhile, Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay warned that Scotland was in the grip of an 'out of control' organised crime wave.
He referenced Operation Portaledge — the ongoing police investigation into a violent gangland feud that has seen shootings, firebombings and assaults across central Scotland. Police have so far arrested 41 people in connection with the incidents.
'These parasites grow rich by preying on society's most vulnerable,' Mr Findlay said. 'These cowards cause terror and death with guns, knives and fire bombs. They go after journalists, politicians, businessmen, police and prison officers. Organised crime is out of control and communities are living in fear.'
Mr Findlay, who worked as a journalist who covered gangland crime before entering Holyrood, was the victim of an acid attack in 2015 when William Burns threw sulphuric acid into his face.
He asked the First Minister: 'Does John Swinney accept that the Scottish Parliament has failed to tackle organised crime in Scotland?'
Mr Swinney denied the claim. 'Organised crime is intolerable — it is unacceptable,' he said.
'It requires the forensic attention of our police and criminal justice authorities to tackle it, and that is being undertaken within Scotland on a relentless basis by Police Scotland and by the criminal justice authorities.
'I would expect the authorities to pursue that level of scrutiny and activity, and that is what is happening.
Mr Findlay also raised concerns about sentencing guidelines for young offenders. Current guidance encourages judges to consider rehabilitation rather than prison for those under 25 — a policy he described as open to abuse.
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He quoted Detective Superintendent Andy Patrick, who warned last year that gangs were exploiting the rules by coercing young people into committing serious crimes in the belief they would avoid jail.
Mr Swinney responded: 'Not for the first time, I cannot allow Mr Findlay's remarks to stand. It is misleading to say to members of the public that there are no consequences for criminal activity under the age of 25 — there are very serious consequences, which involve imprisonment.'
However, there some was consensus at the end, with the First Minister signalling a willingness to review the Proceeds of Crime Act. The legislation is aimed at recovering assets from drug dealers and other criminals.
Mr Findlay told MSPs "top-level crime bosses" were "making millions of pounds from killing vulnerable Scots with their drugs."
He added: "We were told that the Mr Bigs would be bankrupted by the proceeds of crime law that was passed at the start of devolution, but the law has failed.
"Criminals and their white-collar enablers no longer fear the proceeds of crime legislation, and, 18 months ago, the SNP rejected my call to review why that is not working."
He highlighted the case of one dealer believed to have made £126 million through crime. However, the Crown Office was only able to recover only £118,000.
"The proceeds of crime legislation needs an urgent and radical overhaul. We must turn the tables on the drug gangs so that they live in fear," Mr Findlay said, calling on the First Minister to "toughen the legislation to make it fit to tackle organised crime in 2025 and beyond."
Mr Swinney said he was "open to ensuring that we have in place the correct legislative framework to deal with criminality in our country."
"I am perfectly willing to consider that, because I do not want anybody to benefit from criminal activity in our society, and I want people to be punished accordingly," he added.