Moray mum’s story praised during Health Secretary Neil Gray’s visit to Dr Gray’s Hospital

A first-time mum who gave birth at Dr Gray’s Hospital by caesarean said avoiding a long journey to Aberdeen while in labour was “such a relief”.

Sarah Clegg, from Elgin, gave birth to her son Jack at 9.24am on Wednesday, June 11.

Among the mum’s visitors today was Health Secretary Neil Gray, who visited the hospital to celebrate “nearly 80 per cent” of staff needed for a consultant-led service at Dr Gray’s having been hired.

Sarah has been well-placed to see the improvement in Moray’s maternity services - because she is a healthcare support worker within the same ward she gave birth in.

The first elective C-sections since the unit’s 2018 downgrade, on April 18, actually happened during her last week before maternity leave.

The new mum had always wanted to give birth in Elgin, she said, having been worried about a potential ambulance journey to Aberdeen while in labour and the prospect of an unfamiliar, larger hospital.

“It's always the thought of travelling through, in labour, to Aberdeen,” she said.

But just the fact that it was planned and I could have it in an environment that I'm aware of.

“Everybody has been so lovely.”

Sarah praised the staff at Dr Gray’s, who she said offered her a bit of “extra TLC”.

“Having worked here, I just felt like I'd be looked after,”

“If I'm honest, even though I work in the hospital I'm probably not the best patient.

“I was really anxious, but everyone here was so lovely.

“I just felt really important and safe.

“It was just an amazing experience, really.”

The maternity unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital was initially downgraded, in 2018, due to a lack of consultant cover.

However, as part of a new recruitment campaign named Wish You Worked Here, 68 roles have been filled since 2023.

The hiring effort, backed by more than £6 million of Scottish Government cash, was praised by the health secretary during his visit.

In the latest phase, Dr Gray’s received around 900 expressions of interest in just six weeks with one medical post attracting 600 applications in four days.

“The fact that we're at 80 per cent of the staff cohort that we need to see that continued escalation of services that could be provided at Dr Gray's is positive,” Mr Gray said.

“The fact that we are seeing such a high application rate for some of the posts, you know, 600 applicants for posts in some cases, demonstrates that people are buying into the service model that has been put forward here.

“And, do you know what, seeing the babies that have been born, seeing Jack, seeing Sarah, seeing the difference that it makes to those families, it's what makes it all worthwhile.”

Jane Gill, programme director for the Maternity Collaborative, said it had been “just amazing” to see the success of the recruitment drive and the “beautiful stories” created as a result.

“I can’t believe it, it’s amazing,” she said.

“Every time we do it, we’re like: ‘Oh, is it really going to work?’

“And it does, every single time it just does.

“I’m not saying that’s going to continue, because we’re at the difficult-to-recruit posts now, but we just rise to the challenge.

“Bring it on.”

Ms Gill also said she was “confident” that a consultant-led service will be in place at Dr Gray’s by the end of 2026.

The next steps for maternity services, she added, include introducing “cell salvage” technology to improve the safety of operations, doubling the number of cots in the special baby unit from two to four and to tackle the hiring of anaesthetists.

There are currently four consultant obstetricians at NHS Grampian, who are “well-supported” by the hospital’s four consultant anaesthetists.

The hospital has also welcomed a new anaesthetic consultant, who specialises in obstetric anaesthesia.