Low risk inductions could restart at Caithness General

NHS Highland have said today that they hope some low risk inductions can be restarted at the maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in Wick by January of next year.

The service was temporarily changed in April 2009 due to staff shortages to ensure the safety of mothers and their babies.

Since then, pregnant women requiring low risk inductions have been transferred to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness.

This has only affected a small number of the mothers who would otherwise have given birth in Caithness during this period. Mothers requiring high risk inductions were already being transferred to the Inverness hospital and this has continued.

However, the staffing situation has now improved and the Caithness Maternity Services Group has provisionally agreed to restart low risk inductions at Caithness General Hospital for women giving birth to second or subsequent babies.

First time mums requiring a low risk induction would still go to Raigmore.

General Manager for North Highland Community Health Partnership, Sheena Macleod, explained that the decision was based on the improved staffing position and a review of the outcomes for mothers having low risk inductions at both Raigmore and Caithness General Hospital.

The review showed that the outcomes were similar in both hospitals and it is anticipated that the number of low risk inductions being restarted in the Caithness unit will be between four and six each month.

Ms Macleod said: "The decision to reinstate the service was also dependent on recruitment to vacant midwifery posts, which has proved successful. The decision now needs to be ratified by the NHS Highland Maternity Services Strategy and Co-ordination Group, which meets in November.

"The intention is to reinstate the service by January 2012 when the newly recruited midwives will have been in post for long enough to get to know the department and will be ready to support the induction of labour service for low risk women.

"The safety of mums and babies remains paramount at all times."