Refurbishment work on maternity facilities at Dr Gray’s Hospital is due to begin today to kick-start further planned improvements through the year.
NHS Grampian announced the project to install a new birthing pool while renovating three labour suites last year.
Managers have scheduled work to ensure that existing facilities are not affected by the refurbishments while they are carried out.
Health campaigners have welcomed the improvements but have stressed they cannot be a replacement for long-term efforts to restore the Elgin unit to full strength following a downgrade nearly three years ago.
NHS Grampian has warned families they will have to remain patient for significant changes to maternity facilities at Dr Gray’s but hopes the refurbishment will provide short-term benefits.
Gill Valentine, clinical midwifery manager for maternity services in Moray, said: “We appreciate labour and birth are a very special time and wish to reassure families that normal service and choices remain available at Dr Gray’s Hospital during these works.
“That includes continued use of the current birth pool until our new one is fitted and ready for use.”
Alasdair Pattinson, general manager of Dr Gray’s, said: “We are delighted to see that the new birthing pool initiative will become a reality within the next few months.
“This is one of several infrastructure initiatives planned for the Dr Gray’s Hospital site, by NHS Grampian in the forthcoming year which will allow us as a wider hospital team to continue to deliver first-class healthcare to the population of Moray and beyond.”
