Nicola Sturgeon has been challenged to act to prevent any more expectant mothers from the Highlands having to make a 520-mile round trip to give birth.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has written to the first minister to demand a “better model of health service in remote and rural areas”.
It follows the experience of Emma Moffat, who was sent from Caithness to St John’s Hospital in Livingston to give birth to baby Harrison on April 2 because there were no cots available at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
The majority of pregnant women from Caithness now give birth in the Highland capital following a controversial policy change by NHS Highland.
Mr Rennie raised the issue at first minister’s questions in Holyrood last week, but Ms Sturgeon told him that the decision to send higher risk mothers to Raigmore to give birth was taken by the health board on safety grounds following a review into the death of a child in September 2015.
However, in his letter the Lib Dem leader highlighted comments from Health Secretary Shona Robison, made in January 2017, promising to ensure that Raigmore had “high-quality facilities available for the patients and their families”, following the change in Caithness policy.
Mr Rennie said: “I believe that the Scottish Government has endorsed a model of healthcare that does not serve the far north of Scotland. Ministers have failed to add the capacity and safeguards necessary.
“It is time that Scottish ministers took action to provide a better model of health service in remote and rural areas.
“If not, the long journey taken by Emma Moffat will not be the last example of failure.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It is vital that all pregnant women – including those in remote and rural locations – receive safe, high quality service.
“Across Scotland there may be times when, due to medical complications or peaks in demand, women and babies are required to travel to ensure the best possible care.
“We would expect that when mothers and babies are transferred for care, they are returned to their closest unit as soon as safely possible. Last year of the 2,011 babies delivered in Raigmore only 12 women had to be transferred to other hospitals for treatment.”
