Health Secretary Humza Yousaf's statement on restoration of consultant-led maternity service heavily criticised
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HEALTH Secretary Humza Yousaf has been criticised despite giving his 'cast iron' guarantee that a consultant led maternity service will return to Moray.
Mr Yousaf said that the Scottish Government remains committed to its restoration but added that a plan to use a midwifery-led unit linked to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, known as Model 4, is an important step to achieving this.
However, politicians have criticised the plan in Holyrood today describing it as a "total let down".
The statement comes after 22 Raigmore Hospital staff members signed a letter addressed to the Health Secretary urging the Scottish Government to scrap Model 4 and move onto Model 6 - the re-instatement of a consultant led maternity service at Dr Gray's in Elgin.
In his statement today Mr Yousaf said: "Model 4 will provide obstetric maternity care closer to home for Moray women while NHS Grampian put plans in place to return to consultant-led services at Dr Gray’s," Mr Yousaf said in a statement at Holyrood on Tuesday.
“Having met with local campaign groups and the relevant health boards this week, before giving approval to the Model 4 plans I am very clear that further work is required, and there are elements to be worked through locally and nationally to deliver for families in Moray.
"I have also heard very clearly the concerns raised by clinicians and have asked our External Assurance Panel to provide me with a level of re-assurance around assumptions in Model 4 plans."
Highlands and Islands MSP Douglas Ross slammed Mr Yousaf's statement.
He said: "Humza Yousaf cannot continue to bury his head in the sand. He must listen to the clinicians who wrote to him in no uncertain terms ahead of this statement.
"This statement was a total let down for those in Moray who are desperate for answers and leadership from Humza Yousaf.
“It feels like we are further away than ever from a return of consultant-led services at Dr Gray’s but I will not stop challenging the SNP Government until that happens.”
Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said: "This statement does nothing to comfort me or my constituents in Moray who are deeply concerned about how the delivery of consultant let maternity services in Dr Gray’s is going to be reinstated.
“The Cabinet Secretary says that he hears concerns from clinicians and community campaign groups but he offers no solutions on how to resolve these issues. Moray women are still going to have to travel great distances to give birth and clinicians in Raigmore Hospital still have safety concerns."
Conservative MSP Edward Mountain, who also spoke during the debate, said that he will not support Moray Mums coming to Raigmore in non-emergency situations unless the required additional staffing, extra funding and facility upgrades are put in place before the Scottish Government approves the Model 4 option for maternity care.
He added: "The Health Secretary should refrain from being so patronising and begin addressing the serious concerns laid out by clinicians in the Raigmore Maternity Unit.
“It is clear from their letter today that they have grave concerns about the safety of delivering maternity care without the required additional staffing, extra funding and facility upgrades being in place before Model 4 is approved."
