Moray MP expresses disappointment about NHS maternity meeting
Moray MP Douglas Ross has expressed his disappointment following a meeting which was held by NHS Grampian in Elgin to discuss the maternity unit at Dr Gray’s Hospital. After many questions were left unanswered, Douglas has today written to the Scottish Government, NHS Grampian and Scottish Ambulance Service seeking further clarity.
Commenting Douglas said: “I was extremely disappointed that NHS Grampian had to be cajoled into holding the meeting in the first place and even more disappointed at the attitude to the concerns raised and the content of their answers.
“I felt the NHS managers took an unwelcome tone in response to questions about the dangers of women having to travel to Aberdeen to give birth and simply seemed to skirt round the issues.
“Not only that, but throughout the evening board members apologised for these changes, but if they were sorry they wouldn’t have taken this decision in the first place.
“I was also disappointed to hear that the Scottish Government had known about this situation for some time and yet this has been allowed to happen.
“I am writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Health to establish exactly what the Scottish Government knew and when.”
Concluding Douglas said: “What I found most worrying was a comment from a doctor who was willing to speak out and say that he would be dealing with births at Dr Gray’s but he hadn’t received the proper training or reassurances on this. That is unacceptable.
“In my opinion this meeting left people with more questions and concerns rather than providing the reassurances people were looking for.”