The majority of pregnant women in Moray will eventually be able to give birth at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, years after the maternity unit was “temporarily downgraded”.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced the plan at Holyrood but was unable to put a timescale on the ambition.
He said: “The reason why I can’t give you the date right now is because frankly if we did that now we’d be plucking it out of the air.”
Maternity services at the hospital were downgraded in July 2018, forcing most women in the region to travel 65-miles away to give birth in Aberdeen.
Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, the SNP minister confirmed Dr Gray’s will implement a phased return to a full consultant-led maternity unit.
He also revealed £10 million of investment to deliver this, which includes £5m to start the development of services at Dr Gray’s.
A further £5m will be be committed to improve facilities at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, following calls from campaigners in the north.
‘Won’t happen overnight’
Mr Yousaf told MSPs this “won’t happen overnight” but said he understands the “urgency and importance of this issue”.
He said the return to full services should allow 80 to 90% of births in Moray to take place at Dr Gray’s.
An independent review carried out in December recommended that pregnant women needing emergency deliveries should be transferred to Inverness rather than Aberdeen.
Consultant obstetricians and senior midwives say Raigmore does not have the facilities or the staff to deal with extra births and requires new investment.
As services are expanded towards a consultant-led service at Dr Gray’s, in the interim Raigmore maternity unit will be expanded to allow Moray women to choose to access care in labour and birth there, in addition to Aberdeen Maternity Unit.
‘Long way off’
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said “my fear today is we’re still a long way off from the restoration of this service”.
The Moray MP, who is also an MSP for Highlands and Islands, praised campaigners for “fighting tooth and nail” for the return of consultant-led maternity services.
Mr Ross shared his family’s own experience after his wife Krystle was rushed to Aberdeen from Elgin to give birth to the couple’s youngest son, James.
The pair also had to make the return journey with their baby while he was less than eight hours old from Aberdeen back to Moray.
James subsequently had to spend a week at Royal Sick Kids Hospital in Aberdeen for breathing issues and chest problems.
The Scottish Tory leader queried whether this was due to the fact that he had to bring him back along the A96 after his birth in Aberdeen when he was just hours old.
Responding to Mr Ross’s concerns about a date for the service returning, Mr Yousaf said: “Now we have that set destination what we can do is work backwards.
“What does it take to get Dr Gray’s to a full consultant led maternity service, what investment is required, what staffing is required, what needs to be done in terms of the systemic challenges that Grampian has faced over the years.”
NHS Grampian welcome ‘clarity’
John Tomlinson, Interim Chair of NHS Grampian said: “We thank Mr Yousaf for the clarity provided today, which sets the future direction for maternity services in Moray, Grampian and the North of Scotland more broadly, and the announcement of additional investment in Dr Gray’s Hospital.
“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.”