First Minister John Swinney is under pressure to find a solution for Caithness women forced to drive 100 miles through snow and ice in winter to deliver their babies in Inverness.
It comes after the Scottish Human Rights Commission published a report last week which laid bare the “barbaric” situation facing pregnant women in the region.
Testimonies revealed incidents where women lost their fertility due to delays in accessing Raigmore Hospital in emergencies, with reported cases of ovarian torsion and haemorrhage.
In 2016, the maternity unit at Caithness General in Wick was downgraded from consultant-led to midwife-led.
The majority of pregnant women – including first time mums and those at higher risk – must travel at least 100 miles to give birth in Inverness.
The journey between the two hospitals is over two hours but can often take more than three hours or even longer depending on weather and road conditions.
‘Women left terrified’
In Holyrood on Thursday, Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton told First Minister John Swinney that women are “left terrified” by four-hour drives in the dark with “deer on the road”.
He added: “No wonder they’re moving away or choosing not to have any more children.
“What is the first minister going to do about it because these mums are still in danger?”
Mr Swinney said the situation in Caithness is based on patient safety around the volume of maternity cases that can be dealt with there.
Swinney said: “I totally understand the challenges and the difficulty of the journey that Mr Cole-Hamilton narrates to me because it is a long and difficult journey.
“But where ministers receive advice on clinical safety, we have to have really strong reasons not to follow that clinical advice.”
The first minister added he was happy to engage with Mr Cole-Hamilton and his colleagues to try and address the concerns that exist in Caithness.
Highlands health investment
Finance Secretary Shona Robison set out her budget at Holyrood on Wednesday which included a funding pledge to replace the Belford Hospital in Fort William.
The SNP government will also invest £200 million in a bid to bring down NHS waiting times in regions including the Highlands.
Mr Cole-Hamilton said the budget “stopped short” of cash for a replacement to the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick and to ensure 24/7 access at Portree Hospital in Skye for emergency care.
Mr Swinney said he would “look further” at the issues in relation to Portree, where a local teacher almost died waiting for an ambulance after suffering an allergic reaction.
An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: “Safety and quality are at the forefront of all of our service planning, and we provide as many maternity procedures as is safe to do so in Caithness General Hospital.
“There are regular consultant clinics in Caithness and we have successfully increased the midwifery team there.
“Local obstetric scanning is provided to reduce the requirement for travel. High risk or complex cases continue to come to our District General Hospital in Inverness – this is the same for all our remote and rural areas in the Highland region.
“We plan our theatre lists to support travel for those travelling longer distances and accommodation and expenses are also provided.”
Conversation