Health bosses have insisted the closure of the children’s ward at a Moray hospital last month was a one-off.
Management at NHS Grampian have warned services at Dr Gray’s may have to be temporarily downgraded in February due to a lack of junior doctors.
However, now it has emerged that Ward Two at the Elgin hospital was closed overnight for 12 hours on December 12 due to a staff shortage.
The NHS has explained the decision was taken following an “unexpected sickness” and drafting staff from elsewhere, changing rotas and enlisting agency staff were considered as options to maintain services.
Yesterday, Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “Although no children had to be transferred to Aberdeen on that occasion, everything must be done to ensure this doesn’t happen again in the future.
“The children’s ward is a vital facility and youngsters having to travel 70 miles for treatment, particularly during the winter months, is just not acceptable and poses a serious risk.”
NHS Grampian has warned temporary downgrades may have to be considered to paediatric, obstetric and gynaecology services in Elgin next month.
However, they have stressed that no final decisions have been taken.
Overnight care at Ward Two at Dr Gray’s was suspended for two months last year due to a lack of junior doctors.
In a letter to Mr Ross, Sue Swift, divisional general manager of women and children’s services, explained there were no gaps in nursing rotas for the “foreseeable future”.
She added: “The overnight closure of Ward Two was as a result of unexpected sickness absence and all efforts were exhausted in an attempt to cover the shift.”
