The Greenock Telegraph is again fighting to save local health services after cutback proposals were announced for two local hospitals.

More than 15,000 Telegraph readers have signed a petition against plans which could see the closure of Ravenscraig Hospital and the relocation of the 24-hour accident and emergency unit from the Inverclyde Royal to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.

Also under threat are Inverclyde Royal Hospital’s coronary care unit, intensive care unit, acute medical and surgical wards and orthopaedic department.

And the paper’s Fight The Cuts campaign has particularly hit home for acting editor Stewart Peterson.

Stewart recently had a cancerous tumour removed at the Inverclyde Royal Hospital and said that if the proposed cutbacks had already been implemented, he might still be on a waiting list to be admitted for surgery at Paisley.

He said: “I was very fortunate. I was admitted within a fortnight and I don’t think it would have been that quick had I been on a joint waiting list with Paisley. The cancer could have spread elsewhere during the wait.

“But there are people in much worse situations than me. There are many deprived areas here and some people would find it very difficult to travel the 20 miles to Paisley.”

The Telegraph’s latest fight comes less than eight months after its battle to save the Inverclyde Royal’s consultant-led Rankin Maternity Unit ended in defeat.

Stewart said that the support for the latest campaign is even greater than before.

He said: “This decision will affect everyone. We’ve had a lot of demand for campaign posters and stickers and the support of the public has been tremendous.

“The local MEP, MSP and MP are all on our side as well. We’ve had very good support from the local political parties.”

It is not yet known when a final decision on the proposals will be made.

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