Moray MP Douglas Ross has reacted to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman’s visit to Elgin with a demand for more action from the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian to solve the maternity crisis at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
Douglas said: “When Jeane Freeman last came to Elgin in August she promised that we would see a plan in two weeks which would lead us back to a consultant-led service. She also promised that local health campaigners would be consulted. It is now November, we have still not seen a plan, and there has been no meaningful consultation. Instead we have a statement which says that NHS Grampian have to get more detail and clarity into “Phase 1” of a plan. That is simply not good enough. Progress has been painfully slow on such a crucial issue.
“This is a huge disappointment and will be incredibly frustrating for everyone who has been campaigning on this issue.
“Communication with pregnant mums in Moray has been almost non-existent and I am worried about the effect this situation has on staff in Dr Gray’s employed in the maternity unit. There is a real risk they will be deskilled and demotivated the longer the service is unavailable in Moray.
“The blunt truth is that Jeane Freeman has failed to deliver what she promised and there is very little sign of a consultant-led service coming back to Dr Gray’s anytime soon. With no plan in place, despite the promises given, and temperatures falling as winter returns, the majority of Moray’s mums-to-be face a journey to Aberdeen to give birth. The Health Secretary needs to prioritise the efforts of the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian to get this sorted.”