Charter launch at Dr Gray's Hospital a "red herring" say campaign group Keep MUM
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A NEW charter that explains what families should expect from NHS Grampian's maternity services as well as their rights has been described as a "red herring" by campaign group Keep MUM.
The Maternity Services Charter was launched on Tuesday at Dr Gray's Hospital alongside Jenni Minto, Minister for Public and Women's Health.
Ms Minto, who was born at Dr Gray's, travelled to Elgin to tour the hospital and to meet with local groups.
She said she was proud to see the charter launched at the hospital and added that it has been a "true collaboration".
However, Keep MUM spokesperson Kirsty Watson, who met with Ms Minto to discuss maternity services in Moray and plans to fully restore them, said that the charter cannot be viewed as progress.
She said: "'We're very concerned about how the maternity charter is being presented as progress.
"The charter can’t change the current situation for Moray women. It's a red herring for Moray women where most women are experiencing anxiety throughout their pregnancies.
"The charter mentions dignity, safety and respect. Two-hour drives in labour, worry about where you give birth, uncertainty, being sent away when you arrive in Aberdeen – none of these experiences fit in with what the charter sets out to do.
"Until Moray women can give birth closer to home, no action NHS Grampian takes will be enough."
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead joined Ms Minto for the visit and the meeting with Keep MUM.
He said he was delighted to welcome the minister to the hospital.
However, he also agreed with campaigners who said that the community needs to see detailed plans regarding the full restoration of maternity services in Moray by 2026.
Mr Lochhead said: "I welcome the fact that the project team and the budget is in place to restore these services but a feature of our discussion was the need to see more than just high level milestones.
"At this stage the community needs to see detailed plans and a roadmap to restoration from NHS Grampian in order to give them confidence that services can and will be reinstated."
Maternity services at Dr Gray's were temporarily downgraded in 2018 meaning many Moray women face a near two hour journey to Aberdeen to give birth.
Moray MP Douglas Ross, while "cautiously" welcoming the launch of the new charter, said that it does not set out what Moray mums can expect.
Mr Ross said: "While this new charter sets out what a maternity service should deliver and what patients should expect, sadly that is still not what Moray mums and families can expect.
"Although the Scottish Government has promised funding to restore services this won’t happen before 2026 in Moray at the earliest, which just isn’t soon enough.
"What we need is a full return of consultant-led maternity services as soon as possible, and to guarantee a safe service for mums-to-be in Moray who still face at least another three years of having to go to Aberdeen or Inverness to give birth."
