Moray MP Douglas Ross says a statement released by NHS Grampian today about emergency care for women in labour at Dr Gray’s in Elgin, shows they have not properly thought through their plans for the maternity unit.
Mr Ross will also be attending the public drop in event in Elgin later today.
NHS Grampian released a statement this morning which said: “Should a woman or baby require immediate, lifesaving intervention during labour at Dr Gray's Hospital local on-call consultant obstetricians and paediatricians will be available to provide this treatment.”
Commenting Douglas said: “This statement by NHS Grampian continues a drip-drip series of updates they have had to release to try and reassure local people, but it’s not working. The SNP health secretary thinks these plans are very safe but given the changes NHS Grampian are continuing to introduce, that is clearly not the case.
In their statement NHS Grampian say this offers an additional safeguard to those announced last week which allow women who develop complications during labour, birth or after delivery to be transferred to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, rather than face the journey to Aberdeen. Emergency treatment at Dr Gray's would be available in very rare circumstances where a life-threatening complication needed consultant intervention before transfer to the unit in Raigmore could be safely made.
Douglas added: “I’m pleased to hear that the mothers who will be allowed to give birth in Elgin will be able to rely on emergency medical treatment in Dr Gray’s should they need it. That is the least they should expect and I just trust the hospital has doctors able to deliver this care. The reference to on-call doctors raises further concerns as it can’t take half an hour to get there, as that could have a critical impact on the birth.
“NHS Grampian say they are working towards providing a long-term sustainable solution to the crisis at the maternity unit but this problem has been years in the making. The SNP have failed in their workforce planning over their eleven years in power in Scotland and sadly we are now suffering in Moray as a result.
“Expectant mothers are extremely worried about this, but it isn’t just them. We are all worried about the downgrading of services at our local hospital and I want the Cabinet Secretary for Health to explain how this has been allowed to happen. More importantly we need reassurances that resources, whether that be junior doctors or funding, will be provided at Dr Gray’s urgently because in the meantime, mothers having to travel to Aberdeen to give birth just isn’t acceptable.”