Overview

The Notre Dame Centre, based within my constituency, supports children and their families with a range of complex needs as a result of childhood trauma.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and other partners have recently announced they will no long contract work to the centre. They plan to provide an alternative service in house using existing services such as CAMHS. This would lead to a closure of the service

This appears to simply be cutting a high quality service that benefits some of the most vulnerable families in Glasgow. Those families also appear to be an afterthought. 

I strongly oppose the closure of the Notre Dame Centre and will fully support them as they seek to reverse this decision

Current Work

18 March 2025

I have written to NHS Glasgow City Council (who lead on this contract), as well as copying in the Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and Glasgow City Council Education Department. I will update constituents when I get a reply. In the meantime, you can read this letter here.

18 March 2025

I have written to The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care. I will update constituents when I get a reply. In the meantime, you can read this correspondence below.

27 March 2025

I have raised this with the First Minster, and I pleased he will soon meet with the Notre Dame Centre and myself to discuss this further - read more at https://bob-doris.scot/parliamentary-work/580-first-minister-s-questions-notre-dame-centre

Next Steps

I will soon meet with the Notre Dame Centre and the First Minister

Stay in touch

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Corrospsonce with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Dear Cabinet Secretary,

I would ask you to consider the details of the letter I have sent to NHS GGC and partners regarding their decision- with just 19 days notice- to terminate the contract with The Notre Dame Centre in my constituency.

Unfortunately this is not the first time that NHS GGC have sought to disinvest from the quality clinical and therapeutic support offered to many vulnerable children and their families. In 2022 NHS GGC sought to tender the service with a 45% cut in funding. I drew that decision at the time to the attention of the Health Secretary and the then Mental Health Minister Kevin Stewart. I was pleased then that common sense prevailed.

The service was tendered but without a cut in value. The Notre Dame Centre won that competitive tender and this allowed them to continue the excellent work they do.

The term of that tender was a 2 plus 2 timeframe. That is there was to be a minimum of two years with a provision to extend for another 2 years if satisfied with outcomes. NHS GGC have been completely satisfied and have never mentioned ending the contract on 31^st of March 2025. That was until last week.

It is not only the 100 young people currently receiving a service, but also those on a waiting list for support (and indeed others and partner agencies continue to refer) who will suffer. There is no evidence of any meaningful engagement or consideration of a strategic service redesign from NHS GGC ahead of this decision.

If there was The Notre Dame Centre would have been key partners. It appears to be about saving £500,000 a year and taking ‘in house’  provision for young people who currently benefit from The Notre Dame Centre.

Any direct provision offered by NHS GGC or partners will not be an equivalent. I consider the plans a service cut to many of our most vulnerable young people. It should be reversed.

I would ask for your urgent consideration of the concerns within my letter.

Yours sincerely,

Bob.

Bob Doris MSP for Maryhill and Springburn (SNP)

Constituency Office

Maryhill Burgh Halls