The number of emergency births being transferred to Inverness after maternity cover in Moray was reduced is above expected levels, health bosses have revealed.
The crisis at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin has forced NHS Highland to investigate setting up an extra specialist unit at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to cope with up to 350 Moray mums a year.
The demand on maternity services sparked an angry response from North MSP Edward Mountain MSP, who blasted: “NHS Highland struggles to look after patients within its own health board and now due to an incompetent SNP Government additional pressure is being placed on an already stretched resource.”
In July, NHS Grampian announced Dr Gray’s maternity services were facing a very challenging situation due to difficulties in maintaining paediatric cover at both senior and junior doctor level.
This led to a planned temporary downgrading at the Elgin hospital to a Community Maternity Unit (CMU) a month later.
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NHS Highland board nurse director Heidi May has revealed Raigmore Hospital now has to cope with higher numbers than first expected.
She said they were “committed” to supporting women in the Elgin area as much as possible, adding: “[We] agreed that any woman giving birth in the Dr Gray’s CMU, who ran into difficulties whilst in labour and required transfer to an acute unit, could transfer to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
“Since August, 24 women have transferred to Raigmore under these circumstances. This is a higher number than originally anticipated.
“As part of a short term solution to the challenges of Dr Gray’s maternity services, NHS Highland agreed with NHS Grampian to explore the option of setting up a three-bedded “Alongside Community Maternity Unit” to allow a predicted extra 350 women from the Elgin area, giving birth in Inverness.”
NHS Highland has set up a project group to look at what would be needed for changes to be accommodated at Raigmore Hospital.
She warned: “It is not likely that this solution can be delivered quickly or at low cost.”
The Scottish Government this week issued NHS Grampian with a 21-point plan it believes will drive improvements for maternity, including the proposed new unit at Raigmore.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “I am disappointed by Mr Mountain’s comments. We are continuing to work with both NHS Grampian and Highland to ensure that as many local women are able to give birth in Elgin as possible.
“There has been progress in recent weeks, with the percentage of local women delivering at Dr Gray’s increasing from 13% in August to 33% in October.”
