Health in Forres and Moray: No C-sections at Dr Gray's for at least 18 more months
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Expectant mums will not be able to have elective Caesarian sections at Dr Gray's for at least the next 18 months.
Earlier today bosses at NHS Grampian and NHS Highland jointly outlined their plans for maternity services between now and the end of 2023.
However these do not include C-sections at the Elgin hospital.
The wider goal outlined by the health boards today is to allow more women from Moray to give birth either in Elgin or at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.
This is opposed to Aberdeen, where 80% of mums have been forced to travel since Dr Gray's maternity services were downgraded four years ago.
Currently about 200 women a year – about 20% – are able to give birth in Dr Gray's.
That number would double to about 400 if C-sections were restored.
Humza Yousaf, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, said: "It is right now to allow some time for the plan and associated documents to be scrutinised and discussed in more detail.
"I intend updating the Scottish Parliament as soon as is practicable at the beginning of the next session."
Mr Yousaf has previously given his support to completely restoring maternity services at Dr Gray's.
However, he has also acknowledged this might take several years due to a shortage of consultants.
Meanwhile Moray's MP is voicing "very real fears" that it will never happen.
After meeting with the health officials today, Douglas Ross said: "This confirmed the very worst fears of expectant mothers and myself.
"A full return of consultant-led services at Dr Gray’s hospital may take up to a decade to return, or may never happen at all.
"Health board chiefs have already gone against a crucial review recommendation by saying elective C-sections won’t happen at Dr Gray’s by the end of next year.
"That is yet another point where expectant mothers have continually been betrayed throughout this devastating situation.
"It is hardly surprising then that Humza Yousaf and the health board didn’t want this debated before Holyrood broke up for summer recess.
"The situation for expectant mothers in Moray is nothing short of a scandal."
Richard Lochhead called today's meeting "a step forward", while also labelling the news regarding C-sections as "disappointing".
Moray's MSP said: "NHS Grampian has indicated that a couple of hundred women a year could choose to have their babies at Raigmore rather than having to travel to Aberdeen.
"One of the positive aspects of the plans is that more ante-natal care will be able to be provided at Dr Gray’s than was the case before services were downgraded.
"I’m told this will save people from having to make multiple trips to Aberdeen over the course of their pregnancy.
"It is however disappointing that plans to restore elective caesareans are not included due to concerns raised by clinicians that would be involved in delivering the service.
"Given this could potentially increase the number of women giving birth at Dr Gray’s by around 20%, we need assurances from NHS Grampian that this service will be restored as soon as possible.
"Of course, this is only a draft plan so we will need to see how quickly this part of the service can be reinstated."
Mr Lochhead continued: "I once again made absolutely clear to NHS Grampian that work on delivering the consultant service must be accelerated and delivered as soon as it is safe to do so.
"That means plans for a consultant service must be worked on concurrently.
"And we need NHS Grampian to outline how it plans to spend the £5million allocated by the Scottish Government for investment in Dr Gray’s.
"There’s no doubt significant challenges remain but it is a step forward that the interim draft plan has now been submitted to the Health Secretary."
Mr Yousaf has instructed there should an external oversight process over the issue of maternity services in Moray.
It was also announced today that this will be led by Professor Linda de Caestecker, who recently retired as director of public health at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, a role she had held since 2006.
