This morning we welcomed The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Ms Jeane Freeman to Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin.  Ms Freeman met with senior members of the Board as well as Maternity, Anaesthetics staff  and Keep Mum to discuss maternity services at the hospital.  She offered helpful support and appropriate challenge whilst acknowledging there are still difficulties ahead. 

 

Ms Freeman acknowledged the hard work that has gone on behind the scenes and that the team has a clearer understanding of what needs to be done.  Open dialogue and relationships with key people internally and externally will continue to build upon and shape the future service.

 

The changes in national clinical guidance around staffing, the recruitment challenge and the recent externally-led review mean we now need to reconsider our current Dr Gray's Maternity Services Plan. We are taking this forward in collaboration with the public and our staff with close support from the National Clinical Advisors and Scottish Government.

 

We will continue to consolidate our safe and stable platform between a highly functioning midwifery led service in DGH networked with our services in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.  Our learning over the last year together with additional information along with the report is helping us with the next steps to bring services closer to home.  This will involve collaboration with services across the north of Scotland.

 

Our teams in Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and DGH have worked extremely hard over this time to ensure women receive outstanding care and this is receiving positive feedback.

 

NHS Executive Lead for Moray, Pam Dudek said: "With all the new information that has come to light, this does mean that our initial aim of the spring 2020 for re-establishment of local consultant led intrapartum care from labour to delivery is not achievable - I know this is disappointing for the women of Moray and we absolutely aim to limit the number of women having to travel, but it is not possible to do so without the right level of expertise available locally. Our refreshed plan focused on supporting Moray women in the short, medium and long term will be developed and shared with the Cabinet Secretary at the end of March 2020.

 

The visit and next steps will be discussed at the DGH Women's' Services Planning Group this week which includes public representatives and Keep Mum.

 

"I agree the timeline is going far slower than we'd hoped, but I would reassure the people of Moray that the local management team and I remain committed to all of our services at Dr Gray's Hospital and the best and safest delivery of care for the population.