New NHS Grampian and NHS Highland Maternity Collaborative lead to oversee major recruitment drive to ensure restoration of Moray maternity services at Dr Gray's by 2026
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THE new programme director of a major collaborative set up to help deliver the full restoration of maternity services in Moray is to oversee a "huge" recruitment drive.
Jane Gill will lead the NHS Grampian and NHS Highland Maternity Collaborative amid the ongoing recruitment of nearly 100 additional staff across both health boards.
The marketing campaign, which will be launched later this month, will focus on two aspects.
One will be to showcase the lifestyle on offer in the region and the other will be to demonstrate the career options that working in the region can offer.
Ms Gill, who had both of her children at Dr Gray's Hospital, moved to Lossiemouth in 1994 with her husband who was serving in the military.
She has since been managing project strategy and transformation projects within NHS Highland but admits the new role will be a challenge but a deeply personal one.
She said: "It's going to be really difficult, we can’t underestimate that, but we have a natural partnership between Grampian and Highland with strengths in both areas.
"The lifestyle we have to offer new recruits is amazing so if we can combine that with professional development opportunities then that’s the way we’ve got to do it.
"We’re offering more than just a job here.
“The people I’m working with are passionate, brilliant and knowledgable.
"I’m really optimistic about the opportunities work between the two health boards will deliver.
"It might be one of my biggest challenges but it's certainly a very personal one."
The full restoration of maternity services at Dr Gray's has been targeted for 2026 with the Scottish Government committing up to £6.6 million to achieve that earlier this year.
Ms Gill says recruiting into midwifery roles will be key to developing the future service but that recruitment will be carried out based on key milestones.
"Looking at Dr Gray's itself we need to make sure the structure is there to support these services," Ms Gill said.
"So there is a five year Dr Gray's strategy and I'm working very closely with the leads of that strategy to ensure that the whole of Dr Gray's is considered and we work well together.
"We're really optimistic about the plan. We're tracking it really closely and we look at the milestones and we forecast forward to ensure we're still on track.
"Recruitment is currently on track so that's a good indication of where we're going."
She added: "The whole programme also has to be really transparent to be truly achievable."
More information can be found here.
