Only 8 babies born at Dr Gray's in January
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MORAY'S maternity woes are not "done and dusted", campaigners have said, after only eight babies were born at Dr Gray's in January.
The figure was announced yesterday (March 14) by NHS Grampian.
Keep MUM said the low number shows that short-term change is needed so less women need transferred to Aberdeen.
Health secretary Humza Yousaf announced a £6.6 million windfall for Moray maternity earlier this month, but Keep MUM spokesperson Kirsty Watson said "funding is not enough".
She said: "This situation is not ‘done and dusted’ as recent publicity has suggested.
"The current plan offers nothing in 2023 or 2024 to allow more babies to be born safely in Moray – anything beyond that relies on changes happening in Raigmore which are unlikely to be achieved.
"Why can services not be expanded for more women to give birth at Dr Gray’s in the shorter term?
"Saying there is funding is not enough.
"The next steps must move with pace."
During 2022, there were only 131 births at Dr Gray's, compared to 4976 across the NHS Grampian area.
Ms Watson, describing the current transfer of woman in the second stage of labour as "barbaric", said NHS Grampian should use existing resources within the hospital to provide better care and deliver more babies locally.
She said: "There are obstetricians, anaesthetists, paediatricians, midwives, theatre teams and other staff in the hospital.
"So find a solution that actually responds to the urgent need of women so they have confidence that, if they need obstetric support, it will be provided.
"Currently, women in labour at Dr Gray’s Hospital have no reassurance that they will not be transferred even after they are fully dilated and in the second stage of labour.
"This is barbaric and potentially has huge effects on mental and physical health.
"Until there is more support at Dr Gray’s Hospital birth numbers there will continue to be low and births often fraught with fear and uncertainty.
"It is the responsibility of NHS Grampian and the Scottish Government to oversee this process."
She also issued a pleas to politicians to continue pressuring for improvements to Moray maternity services:
"We urge our elected members to continue to keep this issue in the public eye and actively fight for more support NOW for women in labour at Dr Gray’s Hospital."
