'Centralisation is not working' says north MSP in midwife debate
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Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain praised the work of Highland midwives this week during a Holyrood debate marking the International Day of the Midwife.
Mr Mountain highlighted the “passion and dedication” of midwives across the region and welcomed the new midwifery course offered by the University of the Highlands and Islands which specialises in providing maternity services in remote and rural Scotland.
However, the Conservative MSP also cautioned the Scottish Government against measures to downgrade maternity services.
“When I attended NHS Highland’s annual review it was clear that the centralisation of services to Raigmore and maternity provision in Caithness remain big concerns in the region,” Mr Mountain said.
“We have seen a concerning repeat of the situation where ambulances are transporting mothers who are in labour to Raigmore.
“Last year, out of the 219 mothers from Caithness that gave birth, only 18 births took place at Caithness General.
“Numbers like that are of huge concern to families planning to have children in Caithness, many of whom would prefer to give birth locally and avoid the long stressful journey south to Inverness.
“Centralisation is not working for new families and it’s not working for midwifery units, which under the SNP have become understaffed and overstretched.”
