‘Who wouldn’t want to live here?’ Summer launch for campaign to attract NHS staff to Moray

An “attention-grabbing” campaign aims to attract more doctors, nurses and midwives to Moray after difficulty recruiting people to the area.

NHS Grampian has already filled a number of positions as part of the long-awaited return of consultant-led maternity care at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.

A staffing crisis in summer 2018 led to the maternity unit at the hospital being “temporarily” downgraded from consultant-led to midwife-led.

This left the majority of mums facing either a 90-minute trip to Aberdeen or a 60-minute trip to Inverness to give birth.

Now, health bosses are ramping up recruitment efforts to secure the staff needed to ensure consultant-led maternity care is up and running by late 2026 or early 2027.

NHS Grampian marketing campaign to showcase Moray lifestyle

Geraldine Fraser, from NHS Grampian, said the launch around August will “showcase what the region has to offer” to potential employees.

Health bosses intend to create a promotional film using a local filming company to sell the lifestyle on offer in Moray.

However, they admit they face a “real challenge” when it comes to attracting staff to work in the area.

Recruitment challenges are well documented at Dr Gray’s which has suffered from unfilled consultant posts and nursing vacancies in recent months.

Last week, it emerged six consultant roles at Dr Gray’s remained unfilled for at least 30 months, according to the British Medical Association.

The new campaign will be targeted at NHS staff in the UK but the health board expects it to have an international reach through social media.

Health chiefs say they are encouraged by the investment coming forward from the Scottish Government to support the move and by closer relations with NHS Highland.

It was announced in March that the plans will proceed with £6.6 million of investment. 

This is understood to be on a recurring annual basis to meet ongoing staffing costs.

As part of the Moray maternity plan, 64 midwifes will be required and around 24 medical roles, along with eight additional programme support and non-clinical roles.

Ms Fraser said: “The recruitment process is well under way and so we are really excited with the opportunity and the investment to create new roles and to expand the team and services and it’s very much a north of Scotland approach.”

‘Who wouldn’t want to come here?’

Simon Boker-Ingram, Moray portfolio executive lead for NHS Grampian, says the health board has learned from other sectors.

He said: “There’s a really good example around the military, particularly around Lossiemouth and Kinloss, where we know people are sometimes reticent to come to a more remote area.

“But once they’re here, they don’t want to leave.

“It’s about how do we market what is a fantastic place to live in the north of Scotland.”

Mr Boker-Ingram said Moray has a lot to offer those who choose to make the move, with its outdoor lifestyle but also close proximity to Aberdeen and Inverness.

He added: “I think the north of Scotland as a place has got a fantastic mix of rural and and urban. I’m a fan of the rambling and walking and what have you with my dog.

“Who wouldn’t want to come here?”

NHS Grampian already helps people moving to Moray by buddying staff up with someone who moved to the area in the last few years as a “key contact”.

Managers help staff looking for rentable accommodation, which can be a “particular challenge” in Moray.

NHS Grampian and Highland are keen to capitalise on strong relationships with higher education institutes, such as Aberdeen’s Robert Gordon University.

They say there is also a “strong partnership” with NHS Education for Scotland with work ongoing to increase the number of doctors in training in the north.

‘Momentum’ to upgrade Moray maternity care

Health chiefs say there is a “commitment” and “momentum” to get back to a situation where consultant-led care is offered at Dr Gray’s.

But campaigners and mums in the area have already been left waiting five years for what they were first told was a “temporary downgrade”.

Harrowing accounts have been shared of women forced to give birth in an ambulance at the side of the A96, after failing to make it to Aberdeen in time to give birth.

And some are putting off starting a family because of the strength of their concerns.

Ms Fraser says there has been a “lots of consideration” given as to how NHS Grampian “change some of that anxiety” which she admits has been seen for “very good reasons”.

She added: “We’ve done loads of engagement work with some of the community groups and they’re very much a partner with us as we develop services and we have regular meetings to make sure we are listening to the voices of of mums and families as we go on this journey.”

Kirsty Watson, spokeswoman for campaign group Keep Mum said: “NHS Grampian continue to mention engagement.

“Every engagement exercise has derived the same information – women in Moray currently experience extreme anxiety and worry during pregnancy and they wish to be given the option to give birth safely closer to home.

“This option – a consultant led obstetric unit – was available from 1995 to 2018.  Women don’t want to move backwards. We have said this before, but we need to see movement at pace for the return of services and incremental ‘step ups’ in services.”