Government commits to return maternity services to Moray, but no timescales

Consultant-led maternity services will return to Dr Gray’s Hospital in Moray, the Health Secretary said, but it is not clear when.

The Elgin hospital was forced to switch to a midwife-led service in 2018, meaning women in need of more complex care would have to go to either Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

Humza Yousaf said on Wednesday that, following a review published in December, the Scottish Government was committed to returning to a consultant-led model.

In the interim period, a community maternity model – which would be mainly linked to Raigmore – would be put in place.

The review, undertaken by NHS Borders chief executive Ralph Roberts, laid out six possible options – with the community model designated model four and consultant-led services model six.

“I have concluded that we will progress with model six – a full consultant-led maternity unit at Dr Gray’s with model four as part of the development towards that final destination,” he said.

“I hope this will see 80-90% of Moray births taking place at Dr Gray’s on the realisation of a consultant-led model, similar to the numbers that were taking place prior to the changes that were made in 2018.”

He added: “The priority for the women of Moray is that they have access as soon as possible to the widest range of maternity services that can safely and realistically be delivered as close to home as possible.

“Let me be clear – I expect work on model six to begin immediately.

“The first step in that journey is working through the detailed timeline of what is required by when.”

The Scottish Government will invest an initial £5 million, with a further £5 million to upgrade facilities at Raigmore Hospital – the Health Secretary said more funding may be forthcoming in the future if necessary.

On the timescale for the services to be returned, Mr Yousaf said: “Its imperative that we develop deliverable timescales for the interim service provision at Raigmore and, of course, the full service at Dr Gray’s.

“Having listened to clinicians I understand the importance of making changes in a phased manner to ensure safety for the women of Moray and for the women of the Highlands.”

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, who has been open about the need for his wife Krystle to be transferred from Dr Gray’s to Aberdeen during the birth of their second son James, also stressed the importance of care after discharge for families forced to go elsewhere.

“Our son was born at 1.45am and we were released from Aberdeen at 9am,” he said.

“So, less than eight hours old, we are taking an infant child back to Moray.

“He had to sit in the car for eight hours.”

Mr Ross said just a few weeks later, James spent a week at the children’s hospital in Aberdeen due to breathing problems, questioning aloud whether the journey home could have caused the issue and whether consultant-led services at Dr Gray’s could have prevented it.

Mr Ross went on to ask the Health Secretary to confirm a timescale for the change.

“The Cabinet Secretary said his aim is for 80-90% of births at Dr Gray’s – we all support that – but we need to know when,” he said.

“Will it even be during this parliament? Can we get a date? A month? A year?”

Responding, the Health Secretary said: “The reason why I can’t give you a date right now is because, frankly, if I did that now I would be plucking out of the air.”

Mr Yousaf pledged to keep both Mr Ross and the parliament informed on progress.

John Tomlinson, the interim chairman of NHS Grampian, welcomed the “clarity” from the Health Secretary, adding: “We will work in partnership with the Scottish Government, NHS Highland, our staff, and the communities that we serve to make progress with these recommendations on a phased basis.

“Our priority remains the delivery of safe and sustainable maternity services, and we share the Health Secretary’s commitment to ensuring expectant mothers receive the best possible care.”