A 12-hour vigil is to be held outside the Vale of Leven Hospital later this month in a last-ditch attempt to secure its long term future.

Campaigners opposed to the reduction of services at the hospital will gather on Sunday, April 28 from 8am to 8pm in an attempt to highlight their concerns over what they see is an erosion of services.

HospitalWatch chairman Jim Moohan is leading the campaign and he issued an impassioned plea for West Dunbartonshire residents to come along and show their support.

He said: "We've had three mass demonstrations and we are holding a vigil on April 28 from 8am to 8pm.

"We want people to come along and join us, even if it's only for 10 or 15 minutes because we need to show the Health Board and the Scottish Government that we are determined that proper investment into the infrastructure is made- instead of the continuous erosion of services, which we are currently seeing."

The beleaguered hospital has hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last few weeks with the suspension of the GP Out of Hours service on four consecutive weekends.

There's also the ongoing speculation about the future of the Community Maternity Unit (CMI).

And last week eight patients were forced to have operations cancelled at the Vale of Leven Hospital- after the heating went on the blink.

In a new development, it has been claimed that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are planning to slash the number of consultant sessions at a key service used by cancer patients at the hospital.

And yesterday, inside sources claimed the pharmacy department within the hospital is to close.

It's understood that managers from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde informed staff and trade unions at the pharmacy last week that the department will close with the potential loss of nine jobs.

The service employs three pharmacists, two technicians and four assistant technical officers, many of whom live locally.

Some of the staff could be redeployed to hospitals in Glasgow.

It's also understood the trade unions have been given until April 19 to lodge their formal response to the health board’s plans but staff believe that the decision is a ‘done deal’ and the closure could happen within weeks.

MSP Jackie Baillie said: "It is completely unacceptable that the plans have been presented to pharmacy staff as a ‘done deal’ without any consultation with the wider hospital never mind the general public.

"These are underhand tactics from the health board who are clearly trying to rush the closure through quickly to avoid public scrutiny.

"This is a shoddy way to treat staff and patients and we must stand together as a community to demand an urgent intervention from the SNP Health Secretary. "

Despite the uncertainty over the hospital Health Secretary Shona Robison this week claimed she sees a "bright future" at the Vale.

She said: "While it is primarily for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to plan and deliver services that meet the needs of local people, and whilst recognising that it is right for Health Boards keep local services under review to ensure they are of the highest quality, I have been consistently clear that I see a bright future for the Vale of Leven Hospital."