CAMPAIGNERS battling to save the sick kids ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital face an agonising wait to discover if they have been successful.

Members of the Kids Need Our Ward (KNOW) protest group sought assurances from Scottish health minister Shona Robison when they met face to face in Paisley on Friday.

Bosses at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have approved the closure of Ward 15 at the Paisley hospital, with paediatric services being transferred to Glasgow’s Royal Hospital for Children, but Ms Robison will have the final say.

And, following the meeting, she made it clear she will take as much time as necessary to consider all views before deciding the ward’s fate.

Councillor Carolann Davidson, who is heading the KNOW campaign, said Ms Robison appeared to listen to the views of concerned families at Friday’s meeting at the Paisley YMCA building.

However, she is unhappy that the meeting was by invite only and believes more parents, rather than SNP politicians, should have been in attendance.

Cllr Davidson, who represents Labour, added: “There are still so many other people who need to have their voices heard but they were not allowed in.

“We had to fight to allow Karen Kennedy access and she is a very active KNOW campaigner.

“When we got in, two SNP councillors who have constantly refused to back us were siting at the table.

“Let’s hope the future meetings that have been promised will take place, as only a fraction of the number of parents affected were allowed to be there on Friday.”

Mhairi Black, who is standing for the SNP in Paisley and Renfrewshire South at next month’s General Election, said some parents had to be turned away as the meeting room had limited capacity.

She added: “It was important to me that the meeting was central and accessible and that genuine discussion was facilitated.”