NHS Grampian reaches two “landmark moments” in bid to restore Moray maternity services at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin
NHS Grampian has reached two “landmark moments” as it bids to fully restore maternity services at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
The health board says that it is “unwavering” in its commitment to restoring consultant-led obstetrics in Elgin by 2026 after the service was downgraded in 2018.
But in order to do so NHS Grampian has launched a recruitment campaign to attract staff members who are needed to fill key positions.
The health board says that it now has well over half of the new team in place that is required to restore the service.
It has also seen a small increase in the number of Moray women accessing the midwife-led unit and giving birth at Dr Gray’s in recent months.
Jane Gill, Maternity Collaborative Programme Director, said: “Both of these are exciting and should be celebrated but we also know they are just steps on the journey.
“We will be unwavering in our commitment to delivering consultant-led obstetrics in Elgin by 2026 and I look forward to bringing you further updates on the progress made over the next few months.”
Over 40 new staff members are now in post.
The new recruits include midwives, nurses, consultant obstetricians, paediatricians, anaesthetists and specialists in fields such as diabetes, perinatal mental health, early pregnancy loss and sonography.
A number of these staff members will work between Elgin and Raigmore in Inverness.
Ms Gill added: “This is a significant milestone and one that I know will be especially welcomed by people across Moray.
“It’s taken a lot of work to get here and I want to reassure people that there will be no let-up in our efforts.”
There is further cause for optimism as NHS Grampian revealed that an increasing number of mums are accessing maternity services and choosing to give birth at Dr Gray’s over the last three months.
Over this period, between 20 and 25 per cent of parents have opted for the Elgin hospital with the health board adding that it is “cautiously optimistic” about the figures.
There is also hope that as services are further enhanced in Moray even more local mums will choose to give birth in the region before the service is fully restored in 2026.
