A Bonhill woman whose mother is battling breast cancer has slammed health board bosses for their proposal to remove breast services at Vale of Leven Hospital.

Kirsten Gibson started a petition, which has attracted more than 7,500 signatures, to save breast services at the Alexandria hospital after news broke last month that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) plan to centralise them at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley.

Kirsten’s mum Kim, 52, is currently undergoing treatment at the Vale hospital, having received chemotherapy there since March.

The family attended the RAH in January, where Kim received her diagnosis.

But Kirsten dubbed the experience to being “like a cattle market”, and says she struggles to see how cancer sufferers from the area would cope with the proposed move.

Kirsten, 24, said: “We were there for four-and-a-half hours. It was an hour-and-a-half before she was seen.

“There were around 100 people squeezed into a waiting room and only two or three doctors there. It’s absolutely chaotic. It’s no fault of the staff at all.”

Kirsten says that for her mum to have been able to undergo her follow-up appointments at the Vale of Leven Hospital has been a “God send”.

“There’s been times when I’ve come home from work and my mum couldn’t stand,” she said. “She’s not fit to travel.

“The Vale of Leven Hospital is four minutes away from us, whereas Paisley is about an hour away. And what about for people who don’t have transport? How would they cope?”

The West Dunbartonshire Council employee has pledged to “kick up a stink” to decision makers to hear their plea – and says she is amazed by the reaction she’s had to her petition so far.

Kirsten said: “It’s about local people and real lives. I don’t think the people higher up have any idea.”

And though NHSGGC have stated mobile breast screening would remain at the Vale of Leven, Kirsten claims that’s not good enough.

She added: “I’m passionate about these follow up appointments. To take that away would be devastating.”

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “There can be resource challenges in delivering some services on several sites when specialist staff resources are scarce but in the case of breast services we can assure the Reporter and your readers that if services are to be changed in any way this would certainly not happen without detailed engagement and consultation with local stakeholders and the full involvement of local elected members.”