Changes to maternity provision in Caithness have been carried out safely, according to NHS Highland.
The health board is to be updated on the transition of Caithness General Hospital to a community maternity unit, which began in November 2016.
Dr Rod Harvey, NHS Highland’s medical director will outline how the changes have resulted in lower maternal and neonatal transfers since the decision that the consultant-led obstetric unit at Caithness General Hospital should be reconfigured as a CMU on the grounds of safety in November 2016 ,
Since December 1, 2016, there has been 12 babies born in Caithness – while 85 mothers based in the far north have given birth at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
Over the same period two years ago 73 babies were born in Wick, while 33 were born in Inverness.
Dr Harvey will tell members that the “very significantly lower” maternal and neonatal transfer figures are key indicators that the CMU and new arrangements are working as planned.
He will describe the arrangements put in place to increase accommodation capacity in Inverness, the further work to create additional family-friendly facilities planned, and he will report that, to date: “everyone who has needed accommodation has been accommodated.”
The report will point to the work to support and strengthen the resilience of the overall transfer arrangements between the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS Highland, including an additional investment of £400,000 to increase ambulance provision in Caithness.
