Douglas Ross has criticised the Scottish Health Secretary for ignoring an offer to meet mums-to-be and families in Moray amid concerns about the future of maternity services for Dr Gray’s.
Jeane Freeman found time on Monday to meet SNP MSP Richard Lochhead but has so far refused to attend a virtual meeting with families to hear about their experiences.
Mr Ross says his office has been “inundated” with people who have been forced to travel an hour or more into Aberdeen to give birth.
Campaigners have been urging the return of a consultant-led maternity service at Dr Gray’s in Elgin for nearly three years. The closure of the A96 Inverness-Aberdeen road during recent wintry weather prompted renewed concern about emergency situations.
Scottish Conservative MP for Moray Douglas Ross said:
“I wrote to Jeane Freeman last month asking if she would take the time to meet virtually and hear directly from local families about their experiences.
“The Health Secretary has failed to respond – but did find time in her diary to meet Richard Lochhead.
“My office has been inundated with experiences from new parents and mums-to-be about having to travel in and out of Aberdeen from across Moray.
“People can’t understand why they cannot give birth locally at Dr Gray’s.
“This situation is very upsetting for many people that I have been in contact with. One woman in Buckie made the 120-mile round trip to Aberdeen three times within a matter of days while heavily pregnant and suffering from complications.
“She said the experience was ‘stressful and traumatic’. Surely that is not what we want for mums-to-be and new parents in the Moray area? The birth of a child should be one of the happiest moments.
“I want Jeane Freeman to listen to some of these stories and respond to the families involved before we get into the purdah period ahead of the Scottish Parliament election in May. This situation cannot be allowed to drag on indefinitely.”
