Health Secretary Humza Yousaf announced on March 30 his ambition to restore maternity services at Dr Gray’s.
It’s the latest chapter in the campaign to return a consultant-led unit to Elgin after it was downgraded.
The SNP minister set out the long-term plan but was unable to set a detailed timescale.
As the push for better local services continues, here are the key dates in the five year saga.
‘Temporary downgrade’
July 2017: Pregnant women in Moray facing 60-mile trip to give birth due to staff shortages.
Concerns raised this would put significant pressure on the already strained ambulance service.
July 2018: Decision taken to downgrade maternity services at Dr Gray’s Hospital due to staffing shortages.
Campaign group Keep Mum claim the move has been “ill-thought out” and puts lives at risk.
Hundreds march through Elgin town centre to oppose the decision.
August 2018: Health Secretary Jeane Freeman, who has since left parliament, tells NHS Grampian to get back around the table to resolve Moray’s maternity crisis, after rejecting their action plan to restore consultant-led services.
September 2018: Heroic taxi driver takes pregnant woman from her home in Fochabers to Aberdeen Maternity Hospital to give birth.
January 2019: NHS Grampian say they are confident full services can be restored by the end of the year after bringing in a restructuring programme.
February 2019: Ms Freeman declines invite from Moray MP Douglas Ross to discuss the challenges at Dr Gray’s.
Second setback
August 2019: Health bosses forced to downgrade maternity services at Dr Gray’s for the second time in less than 18 months.
February 2020: Scottish Government orders NHS Grampian to prepare another blueprint outlining how maternity services might be restored in Moray after previous timelines were thrown into chaos.
January 2021: Campaigners in Elgin call for a renewed focus to restore all maternity services to the region amid warnings it could be April before a plan is ready due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
July 2021: Douglas Ross reveals he had to tail pregnant wife Krystle in 65-mile ambulance dash.
December 2021: Independent review published into Moray maternity services. It recommends transferring pregnant women to Inverness rather than Aberdeen to give birth.
January 2022: More than a dozen clinicians write open letter to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to say the review’s findings were “unworkable and unsafe”, warning of risks of overcrowding.
February 2022: Moray woman Alexandra Naylor forced to give birth in an A96 lay-by.
March 2022: The health secretary meets clinicians, officials and campaigners in Elgin and Inverness. On March 30, he announces the ambition to restore services with the majority of local women able to give birth there eventually.
Moray mums will give birth at restored Dr Gray’s maternity unit – but SNP cannot say when
