Moray MSP Richard Lochhead seeks meeting with new health secretary Humza Yousaf on local services – including future of maternity unit at Dr Gray's Hospital
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MORAY'S MSP has urged Scotland's new health secretary to meet for a discussion on local health services – including the campaign to restore Moray’s consultant-led maternity unit.
SNP MSP Richard Lochhead has also urged Humza Yousaf to visit Dr Gray's Hospital as soon as ministerial visits recommence.
The Elgin hospital's maternity unit was downgraded in mid-2018 due to staff shortages.
The Scottish Government committed to the restoration of the service and commissioned an independent review in March to look at how NHS Grampian can safely reintroduce a consultant-led service at Dr Gray’s.
Mr Lochhead hopes to discuss the issue, other local services and some of the challenges NHS Grampian has experienced in recruiting doctors and consultants to work in the area.
He said: "I welcome Humza Yousaf to his new role and know that his complete focus right now must be to steer our health service through the pandemic.
"As we look towards recovery, I’m looking forward to working with him to ensure that people in Moray have access to the health services they need and as close to home as possible.
"I’ve always been a very vocal champion of Dr Gray’s Hospital, which is a valued part of our local community, and the staff who work there all do an incredible job.
"Some of the challenges facing Dr Gray’s and our local health services, particularly around the recruitment of doctors and consultants, are well publicised and over the years I’ve worked closely with health authorities to try to come up with innovative solutions to these recruitment issues. I’m pleased some progress has been made around recruitment but challenges remain."
The maternity services review, commissioned by Mr Yousaf's predecessor, Jeane Freeman, is being led by Ralph Roberts, the chief executive of NHS Borders.
Mr Roberts is expected to report his findings and recommendations in June.
Mr Lochhead added: "The temporary changes to our local maternity unit continues to cause a great deal of concern locally and the strength of feeling is clearly seen by the way the community has rallied behind the Keep MUM campaign. As local MSP, I’ve worked hard to support Keep MUM and will continue to do so.
"The Scottish Government remains committed to the reintroduction of a consultant-led service and I hope that the independent review, commissioned by Scottish ministers and that is now under way, can lead to some progress for women and families in Moray.
"These issues are all vital for the future of Moray and our local communities and I’m keen to meet with the health secretary as soon as possible, and also to welcome him to Dr Gray’s in due course."
