Moray maternity services Independent Review team in Elgin to hear views
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THE team conducting the Independent Review into Moray maternity services will be in Elgin this week to hear the views of NHS staff, the public and politicians.
The review was commissioned by the Scottish Government in March and the review group has since been meeting virtually with a range of stakeholders, including members of the public and mums who have used Moray maternity services.
The team will visit Dr Gray's Hospital on Wednesday and Thursday, July 7 and 8.
Ralph Roberts, chair of the Independent Review group, said: "I am pleased with the work the review group has already carried out, and very conscious it is important that we do this work carefully, but as quickly as practical.
"I have been very impressed and grateful for the engagement with the review so far. This has included members of the public who have shared their experiences, as well as staff from Dr Gray's Hospital, NHS Grampian and NHS Highland who have provided the group with extensive information and given freely of their time to discuss their perspectives."
Both Moray MP Douglas Ross and MSP Richard Lochhead will meet Mr Roberts tomorrow.
The meeting comes exactly a week after Mr Ross became a father for the second time with his wife, Krystle, transferred to Aberdeen while in labour. Their son, James, was born in the maternity unit in Aberdeen. Their first son, Alistair, was born at Dr Gray’s in 2019.
Mr Ross said: "It’s good that Ralph Roberts is coming to Elgin to hear directly about our urgent need to restore a full consultant-led maternity unit at Dr Gray’s.
"I will be sharing the concerns that have been raised with me by many Moray families since the downgrade was announced three years ago, and because of our own family situation last week, I will be able to share my personal experiences of having a child born in Elgin and another in Aberdeen.
"It is frankly unacceptable that three years after we were told the maternity unit was being temporarily downgraded that so many expectant mums have to travel out of Moray to give birth. A full consultant-led unit was supposed to be back up and running within a year, but three years on we are still waiting.
"I’m sure the independent review will see the urgent need for this service to be restored in Moray and then NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government must act without delay to ensure Moray has the maternity service this area requires."
Mr Lochhead said he will take the opportunity to highlight the strong feeling in the community over the time taken to restore a consultant-led service.
He said: "The independent review was commissioned by the Scottish Government due to the huge level of frustration felt in the local community over the lack of progress being made by NHS Grampian to restore a consultant-led service at Dr Gray’s.
"I’m delighted to have the opportunity to meet with Ralph Roberts and his colleagues during their visit to Elgin this week, where I’ll be sharing my own views as well as that of the local community on the importance of having a consultant-led maternity service in Moray.
"This is a hugely important issue for the people of Moray and I know that the Scottish Government remains committed to the restoration of the consultant-led service.
"I hope that the review can ensure that services are restored in a safe and sustainable way and that it can get us back to a position where the vast majority of women in Moray are able to deliver their babies at Dr Gray’s."
The Independent Review is due to report later this summer.
Members of the public who wish to speak to the team, collectively or individually, should email NSS.MorayMatReviewEnquiries@nhs.scot.
