Moray MP Douglas Ross has hit out at NHS Grampian for failing to urgently address drainage issues within Dr Gray’s hospital in Elgin.
Douglas’ criticism comes following his attendance at an update for local politicians by NHS Grampian earlier today (Friday). He heard that NHS Grampian officials had been aware of drainage issues within the hospital since last September, which has meant the birthing pool has had to be shut down.
Officials are looking at finding a solution, but Douglas says it is completely unacceptable that these issues have been known for so long yet have not been addressed.
Douglas also heard in the meeting that the full restoration of maternity services at Dr Gray’s may not happen until 2031.
He has also hit out at SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf for failing to confirm whether £5 million of extra funding he announced in March is capital or revenue funding, leaving the health board unable to spend this money on supporting services at Dr Gray’s.
During the meeting, Douglas also challenged the Chief Executive of NHS Grampian as to why the board had diverted resources to other health services in the region in recent years, meaning that services at Dr Gray’s have bore the brunt of being underfunded.
Douglas says he will continue to push for full maternity services at Dr Gray’s to be restored as soon as possible and that there is a clear lack of leadership currently from SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and NHS Grampian in relation to the challenges facing the Elgin hospital.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “I was absolutely astonished to discover that drainage issues that have affected the birthing pool at Dr Gray's have been known about since September last year. This week the birthing pool has had to be shut down with seemingly no end in sight.
“This means another option for women in labour in Moray has been taken away from them. Surely if these issues have been known since last Autumn something could have been done before now and avoided the need to remove this option in Moray.
"It is completely unacceptable that these issues have been known about for so long, yet there has been very little action to try and resolve them.
“The situation facing expectant mothers in Moray continues to be nothing short of disgraceful. The fact that it could take until 2031 for a full restoration of services beggars belief. Humza Yousaf seems to think he made a statement and that was enough.
"Never mind the end of this Parliament, it could be the end of the next Parliamentary session before mothers are guaranteed a consultant-led unit in Elgin which is shocking.
“The SNP Health Secretary announced extra funding to much fanfare for Dr Gray’s yet remarkably two months down the line he’s still not confirmed what this funding is for to the health board. That is a dereliction of duty from him and must be rectified immediately.
“Furthermore, I challenged NHS Grampian on how they have used their resources in recent years. I fully accept budgets have been tight but Dr Gray’s has been chronically underfunded which has only put services in Moray on the backfoot and let down expectant mothers time and time again.
“This was another frustrating health board meeting with more damaging revelations about what is happening at Dr Gray’s with a lack of answers forthcoming.
"I will continue to press for the Government and health board to provide Moray with full range of hospital services it needs.”
