Maternity campaigners in Moray have hit out at the “shameful” treatment of a mother forced to endure a four-hour ambulance trip to Fife amid concerns she might go into labour.
Samantha Sneddon, from Lossiemouth, went to Dr Gray’s Hospital on Monday for a routine scan to check on the progress of her baby daughter.
However, when the 27-year-old reported pain, doctors feared she might go into labour and admitted her to the ward.
At 36 weeks gone, it was too early for Mrs Sneddon to give birth in Elgin – resulting in calls to Aberdeen to try and secure a specialist bed only to be told they were at capacity.
Instead, she had an ambulance trip to Kirkcaldy to ensure access to appropriate care.
Last night NHS Grampian described sequence of events as “very rare” while stressing it would have still happened without the current downgrade at Dr Gray’s due to the care needs.
However, campaigners fear the “horrifying” experience shows capacity issues in Aberdeen to cope with extra Moray births remain a concern while calling for Scottish Government intervention to drive forward progress to bring the Elgin unit back to full strength.
Mrs Sneddon, who returned home after one night having not given birth, said: “The staff have been great but their hands are tied. It all felt a bit extreme to be taken away from the area in an ambulance like that.
“Aberdeen were going to take me then 20 minutes later they weren’t. I can’t fault the care but it puts me off going back in case I get transferred again.”
NHS Grampian downgraded the Dr Gray’s maternity unit in July 2018 due to staffing levels proving unsustainable.
Warnings have been issued by management that the current April target to implement a new model are proving a “growing challenge”.
Kirsty Watson, a member of campaign group Keep Mum, said: “NHS Grampian’s behaviour can only be described as shameful.
“We want the Scottish Government to set up an inquiry into the way maternity services have been handled in Elgin, otherwise the continued anguish must be placed at their door and the NHS.”
NHS Grampian explained it was necessary to transfer women outside of the region when specialist facilities are at capacity.
A spokeswoman said: “This is standard practice across Scotland and can happen regardless of the home location of the family or the model of care in place in the area.
“The safety and the appropriate clinical care of the baby once delivered are paramount and this is where the judgement of safety risk lies.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The cabinet secretary for health and sport remains completely committed to the reinstatement of obstetric maternity services at Dr Gray’s.
“Patient safety is paramount and it is vital that services are reintroduced in a safe and sustainable way.”
‘Beyond frustrated’
Moray families have been described as “beyond frustrated” at attempts to make progress in restoring maternity services to its biggest hospital.
NHS Grampian management are drawing up a new staffing model for Dr Gray’s in an attempt to make it more resilient to recruitment issues.
However, it is understood that pressures with other departments have hampered efforts to restore the unit to full strength.
Yesterday Moray MSP Richard Lochhead explained the Scottish Government’s health secretary Jeane Freeman was due to visit Elgin in the coming days for an update on progress.
He said: “The local community is beyond frustrated and increasingly of the view that getting detailed information out of NHS management about steps being taken is like getting blood out of a stone.
“What started as a lack of trainee doctors has now spiralled into a multi-dimensional challenge and that is the real worry given it’s so difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel given the lack of progress.”
Moray MP Douglas Ross added: “Families in Moray have been badly let down. I know from personal experience how much stress this can add at what should be an exciting and happy time.
“Progress on restoring the service has been unacceptably slow and now we have a pregnant woman from Moray having to travel 160 miles to Fife.”