Plans to close the Queen Mother's Hospital have caused protests

The three-month consultation process comes to an end on Friday.

NHS Greater Glasgow's chairman said clinical staff disagreed on whether the Southern General or the Queen Mother's should be the one to go.

Professor Sir John Arbuthnott said the board had "a very difficult decision" to make.

He plans to visit the city's three maternity units again before the board meets to make its final decision.

Maternity services

In October last year the health board backed the closure of the Queen Mother's, which shares a site with the Royal Sick Children's Hospital at Yorkhill.

An expert panel had recommended the closure of the hospital as part of a reorganisation of the city's maternity services.

However, the board also agreed to put the proposals out to public consultation following warnings from medical staff that the move could cost lives and lead to objections from the public.

The plans sparked a campaign by those opposed to the closure of the Queen Mother's.

We can assure everyone who put forward a submission that we will give them our careful consideration Professor Sir John Arbuthnott NHS Greater Glasgow chairman

Doctors, politicians and patients have protested against the closure, while some medics warned that babies' lives would be at risk if the relationship between the Queen Mother's and Yorkhill was lost.

However, supporters of the Southern General argued that mothers would benefit from the specialist treatment available at the site, which has an adult intensive care unit.

Sir John said: "There have been arguments made on both sides and the board has a very difficult decision to make.

"We can assure everyone who put forward a submission that we will give them our careful consideration."

The final decision will rest with Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm.

The board will make its recommendation to him after considering the submissions and the findings of NHS Greater Glasgow's Maternity Planning Group.