NHS Grampian hopes it will soon start recruiting additional staff in an effort to restore maternity services in Moray.
The health board held a meeting with local politicians today to discuss its plans for the future of Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
One of the main points raised during the talks was the state of the hospital’s maternity unit, which was downgraded from consultant-led to midwife-led in summer 2018.
At the time, the measure was introduced as “temporary” due to staffing issues.
This led to an uproar among local campaigners and expecting mums as many were left facing either a 90-minute trip to Aberdeen or a 60-minute trip to Inverness.
NHS Grampian chiefs today confirmed they are looking into hiring new staff at the Elgin hospital in the coming weeks to improve the available services in area.
A spokeswoman for the health board said: “We are pleased to be working jointly with colleagues in NHS Highland to deliver integrated maternity services and offer obstetric-led births in Dr Gray’s in the future.
“Recruitment is key to being able to achieve this and we are working with Scottish Government to progress this in the coming weeks.”
‘Urgent need for action and answers’
While some attendees welcomed the news as a positive step forward, others hit out at the lack of clear information on how and when these improvements will be delivered.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead was pleased to hear the restoration of maternity services is being considered as a “key part” of the health board’s plans for Dr Gray’s future.
He said: “Dr Gray’s has the potential to be a real centre of excellence around innovation and training, and it is vital that NHS Grampian delivers on its commitment to developing an ambitious plan for the hospital.
“That must include making sure services available at Dr Gray’s meet the needs of the local population, a modern estate for staff and patients, and reducing the number of people having to travel from Moray to Aberdeen for care.
“Hopefully now that the Scottish Government has passed its budget this week, the health board will quickly be given the green light to go ahead and recruit.”
However, Moray MP Douglas Ross critised the lack of “urgent action” to bring back fully-led consultant services at Dr Gray’s, stressing this has been in the pipeline for months.
He said: “It is totally unacceptable that months on, the health board are still having to wait for instructions and information on how to move towards delivering model 6 from the SNP government.
“There is shamefully still a total lack of urgency from both the health secretary and the health board when it comes to updating Moray mothers on any progress, if any has indeed been made.
“We desperately need action and answers, and these must be delivered as soon as possible.”
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