Moray’s MP Douglas Ross has expressed concern that the NHS in Moray, and the North East of Scotland, is continuing to suffer from an unfair financial settlement from the Scottish Government. His comments follow a warning issued by senior managers at Dr Gray’s Hospital that it will struggle to maintain current levels of service in paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology come the February intake of Junior Doctors.
Douglas said, “This warning follows revelations that non-urgent surgery in the NHS Grampian region which covers Moray, will be delayed and may not take place during January and February. That announcement has left many people in Moray wondering what on earth is happening to their treatment. And now we have another threat to paediatrics, obstetrics and gynaecology at Dr Gray’s. Clearly we have to look at how we attract new doctors to this area, but the ongoing financial problems loom large when people decide where to base themselves.”
He added: “I am particularly alarmed because this series of announcements follows research conducted by my Scottish Conservative colleagues in the Scottish Parliament which clearly demonstrates that NHS patients in our area have less spent on them than any other part of Scotland.
“The only action we have seen from SNP ministers was a PR stunt when the Health Minister Shona Robison turned up at Keith Health Centre a week or so ago for some photographs.
“On top of this bad news we have Moray Council planning to make severe cuts because it too has received years of poor financial settlements from the Scottish Government compared to other areas which is likely to impact on social care provision.”
Douglas concluded, “It’s about time that Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP government recognised that my constituents in Moray have as much right to decent services as people who live in the Central Belt which seems to be the only area of any interest to the SNP.”