NHS Grampian Board supports recommendations of December report, which proposed sending women to Raigmore
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NHS Grampian's Board today agreed with the recommendations of a report into Moray maternity services.
The report, which proposed sending Moray women to Inverness's Raigmore hospital, was backed by senior NHS Grampian staff, despite clinicians' concerns.
An open letter signed by Raigmore doctors and senior midwives, sent to the Health Secretary and published in the Northern Scot, complained of inadequate facilities to accommodate extra women at Raigmore.
NHS Grampian's head of midwifery Jenny McNicol did not mention the letter in her statement to the board meeting.
Councillor Shona Morrison said: "I suppose, for me, it would be remiss not to mention the glaringly obvious, which was the open letter sent on behalf of the Raigmore maternity clinicians to the Cabinet Secretary.
"We are talking about assurances around collaborative working and I would obviously have some concerns having read the open letter.
"I am just wondering what comment you would have on that."
Ms McNicol said: "We had a NHS Grampian and Highland collaborative meeting just at the end of January and we discussed the letter – so obviously I am aware of it.
"NHS Highland's Medical Director brought it up in an open discussion within that group and I know that they, in NHS Highland as a senior clinical team, were meeting with the maternity team in Raigmore to have discussions about how they wish to move forward.
"What I got was a recognition of the anxieties staff are feeling but a willingness to work with their staff and to move forward. But also a total commitment to the recommendations within the review across the north east of Scotland."
The board also agreed immediate changes to maternity services at Dr Gray's, including stopping "life and limb" obstetric care and revamping the guidelines for transfers to Aberdeen and Inverness.
Several major challenges to sending women to Raigmore were identified during the meeting, including cross-health board working, workforce and money.
Ms McNicol was asked about her description of the plans as being "ambitious".
She said: "To say that this is an ambitious strategy, is to say we are working across two different boards, which is very challenging actually.
"But I truly believe that in the context the continuity of care teams and how we can work across the north east of Scotland will enable us to provide that optimal service and choice for women, which they don't currently have where it is restricted.
"But the changes and different ways of working needed to make that happen, actually, are ambitious."
The new plans were praised by the board. Interim Chairman Dr John Tomlinson said: "Issues around maternity services in Moray have been at the top of our agenda as a board for several years.
"The review into those services was published at the beginning of December with significant press and public interest. The paper we consider today is an important development and statement of our intent to ensure high-quality, safe maternity services in Moray."
However, other board members were clear that the ball is in the Scottish Government's court, as they are yet to adopt the changes.
Non-executive director Rhona Atkinson said: "It is always about money and workforce.
"I remain concerned that these practicalities, to make the full change happen, are still to be ironed out. The core one is financial.
"If the Scottish Government really, really want this to be successful, I hope they find the money to help us do this, because actually while we go through this process again, all that time people in Moray are not getting the service that, I know, you want to give them.
"And if the answer to that is some extra money I sincerely hope the financial teams are prepared to push very very hard for that – because that will help us."
