A public consultation will be held on plans to downgrade services

Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board had planned to shut the unscheduled medical care facility and birthing unit at the West Dunbartonshire hospital.

But an Independent Scrutiny Panel (ISP) said there was no fresh evidence to support the proposals and the public should be made ware of the risks.

The health board said a public consultation will now go ahead.

A spokeswoman for the health board said: "While there remain some concerns which we will address, we are committed to presenting all of the options and issues for full debate and discussion during the public consultation."

Hospitals pledge

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon welcomed the ISP report.

She said: "We expect that the board will move forward with public consultation shortly. It is important that the public, patients and everyone with an interest responds to these consultations so that decisions can be made in the light of all the facts and views."

Shortly after the SNP was elected to government on a pledge to save local hospitals, the board announced proposals to further downgrade services at Vale of Leven.

The consultant-led maternity service at the hospital was transferred to the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley in 2002 although a midwifery community unit was retained.

Local people have protested against proposals to close services

The Vale's accident and emergency unit was shut down two months later.

Health chiefs announced in May 2007 that they wanted to scale back certain medical procedures and other hospital services.

The proposals recommended that future medical patients should instead go to Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital.

The supplementary report by the ISP followed a document published in December which raised concerns about the proposals.

Ms Sturgeon had asked the panel to reconvene after the health board's decision to press ahead with the plans.

Professor Angus Mackay, chair of the panel, said the strength of local feeling could not be underestimated.