Health chiefs yesterday declared the maternity shake-up in Caithness a success – while opponents took their complaints about it to the Health and Safety Executive.
Objectors to NHS Highland’s “safe transition to a midwife-led maternity unit” in Wick allege there was no risk assessment prior to the reform.
The claim was yesterday categorically denied by health officials after board members united in praising the reforms at Caithness General Hospital.
North health board to be updated on Caithness maternity provision
Medical director Roderick Harvey reported that while more expectant mothers were travelling to Inverness to give birth, the changes had resulted in “very significantly lower” emergency maternal and neonatal transfers.
The reconfiguration from a consultant-led obstetric unit was made on the grounds of safety last November after investigations found that the deaths of two babies born at the hospital were “potentially avoidable.”
Dr Harvey said: “Lower maternal and neonatal transfer figures are key indicators that the community maternity unit and new arrangements are working as planned.”
Eleven women gave birth at Caithness General between December and the end of April compared with 73 in the period from December 2014 to April 2015.
Dr Harvey said that urgent maternal transfers were halved – from 14 to seven – and emergency neonatal transfers were reduced from six to one.
“The fact that there was only one neonatal transfer illustrates the fundamental reason why we made this change,” he said.
He added that action had been taken to increase accommodation capacity in Inverness, to improve access for families and invest additional money in local ambulance provision.
Nicola Sinclair of the Caithness Health Action Team protest group – a newly elected Highland councillor – claimed it was “highly disingenuous” to celebrate the maternity shake-up.
“Only 11% of mothers in Caithness have delivered in Caithness since December, representing a huge number of transfers and significantly more than expected,” she said.
