Ambulance journeys to transport pregnant Moray women to Aberdeen more than double since downgrade of maternity services at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin
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THE number of ambulance journeys to transport Moray women to Aberdeen for all "pregnancy-related incidents" has more than doubled since the downgrade of the region's maternity services.
The maternity unit at Dr Gray's was downgraded in July 2018 due to concerns regarding staff shortages.
From that date to 2023 there have been 590 ambulance journeys to transport mums-to-be from Moray to Aberdeen.
The figure represents a 153 per cent increase on 2012 to 2017 where there were a total of 233 ambulance journeys.
There has also been a significant increase in the number of ambulances used over this period with 112 used post-downgrade compared to 70 prior to the downgrade.
Campaigners claim that the figures, revealed by a Northern Scot Freedom of Information request sent to the Scottish Ambulance Service, demonstrate an "additional problem" created as a "direct result" of the downgrade.
However, NHS Grampian insists the increase shows the "high standard of care" given to pregnant Moray women adding that the vast majority of journeys took place prior to the onset of labour.
A spokesperson for the health board said: "These numbers do not reflect the number of pregnant women experiencing an emergency transfer by ambulance from Dr Gray's Hospital.
"Around 80 per cent of the journeys took place prior to the onset of labour and this highlights the high standards of care given to people who are pregnant and present with an issue which requires further investigation or monitoring.
"It's also worth noting the number of complex births across Grampian, and indeed nationally, has increased in recent years."
Local campaign group Keep MUM says that while the figures do not represent an increase in emergency transfers, they still cannot be viewed positively.
Kirsty Watson, the group's spokesperson, said: "Prior to the downgrade, most women could give birth in Moray and, for five years now, nearly all Moray women give birth in Aberdeen. It is therefore not surprising to see these depressing figures.
"NHS Grampian did not carry out an Equality Impact Assessment in 2018 when the maternity service was downgraded. These ambulance figures illustrate yet another detrimental effect of the downgrade on women.
"It is also disappointing to see that more strain is being placed on the ambulance service, at a time when we are all aware that they are stretched anyway.
"It also highlights that potentially it is not only pregnant women and their families who are suffering. Others needing urgent medical help could be at risk as the additional transport requirements for maternity patients will put pressure on ambulance availability.
"It's also important to say that, for every woman travelling in an ambulance, hundreds more are travelling in private cars possibly in labour and almost certainly very anxious about the process of labour and birth."
The Scottish Government committed up to £6.6 million earlier this year for the full restoration of maternity services in Moray by 2026.
Keep MUM has expressed doubts on whether this target can be achieved, telling The Northern Scot in August that questions remain regarding the plans.
But NHS Grampian says progress is being made in laying the foundations for the restoration of a consultant-led maternity service in Moray.
A spokesperson for NHS Grampian added: "We are in the process of expanding maternity services in Moray and have successfully recruited into a number of posts, including three additional senior charge midwife roles.
"We are continuing to work jointly with NHS Highland on this as part of the Moray Maternity Services Plan (Model 6), which now has the support of a programme director in addition to new roles introduced to support the plan last year.
"A midwife consultant joined the team in Elgin at the start of the summer and a number of new midwives will be joining the team in the coming months.
"We are currently advertising for a project manager as well as a project support administrator for Moray maternity services and hope to attract health professionals from a broad spectrum of specialties to the hospital and the local area as great places in which to live and work. Many new posts will strengthen the team more broadly at Dr Gray’s Hospital, recognising resilient, sustainable teams both across the site and in partnership with NHS Highland will provide the basis for a successful consultant-led maternity service."
