PARENTS who are battling to save Paisley’s sick kids ward have stepped up their campaign.

Members of the Kids Need Our Ward (KNOW) pressure group have launched a website in a bid to ramp up the pressure on health chiefs over their plans to close Ward 15 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The website includes a link to a petition which protests against the decision, as well as a direct email link to Health Secretary Shona Robison, who will have final say on the fate of Ward 15.

Last month, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde formally approved the decision to close the ward and transfer care to Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children (RHC).

However, campaigners hope to put enough pressure on Ms Robison to convince her to reverse the closure plans.

They are calling on members of the public to send an email to Ms Robison, making it clear they want Ward 15 to remain open.

Members of KNOW say that moving paediatric inpatient services from the RAH to Glasgow will be “more than a simple inconvenience.”

They insist it will have a huge impact on many families in the Paisley area and could even put children’s lives at risk.

Carolann Davidson, spokeswoman for KNOW, said the group has not yet had the chance to meet with Ms Robison and the minister has not contacted campaigners to discuss their concerns.

She added: “It was brought to our attention that some hand-picked individuals were invited on Monday, March 6, to meet her on Tuesday, March 7, in Edinburgh.

“Unsurprisingly, this meeting was cancelled due to lack of uptake. It was ludicrous to expect people to go from Paisley to Edinburgh with just over 24 hours’ notice.

“The point is that parents with sick children can’t get to Glasgow, never mind Edinburgh.

“We need the minister to come here and see for herself how much the people of Renfrewshire need Ward 15.”

Health chiefs say children will have access to state-of-the-art care at the RHC, including round-the-clock specialists and diagnostic tests.

A Scottish Government spokesman has confirmed that the health board’s decision to close Ward 15 is being submitted to Ms Robison for further consideration and that she will be happy to meet with parents to “help inform her final decision on the proposals.”

For more information about the KNOW campaign or to sign the petition, visit the website at www.kidsneedourward.org.