First Minister declines invitation to travel 100-mile maternity route to Caithness
First Minister John Swinney was slammed for failing to rise to the challenge of travelling the 100-mile maternity route between Inverness and Wick.
The invite was extended last month in a letter from local MP Jamie Stone, the chairman of Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) Ron Gunn, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Lib Dem Scottish parliamentary candidate David Green.
The invitation, declined by the First Minister, was to travel the distance between Caithness and Inverness to experience for himself the distance pregnant mothers have to make when attending Raigmore Hospital.
Mr Stone, the Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: “A gruelling 100-mile journey in the back of an ambulance is evidently not appealing to the First Minister, and you can see why.
“It’s just a shame that he doesn’t hold such high standards for pregnant women in the far north. It is shameful, quite frankly.
“It’s about time he stepped into the light and took responsibility for the mess his party has made over the last 17 years.”
Mr Stone has, however, secured a meeting with Scotland’s public health minister, Jenni Minto, to address the challenges faced by people in the far north in accessing their human rights to health, housing and food.
Mr Stone demanded the meeting following the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s report into Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands.
Centralisation has meant that more than 14,000 patients a year from Caithness and Sutherland now have to travel to the Highland capital for different aspects of care.
Ahead of the meeting, Mr Stone says he will “hold the Scottish Government accountable for the downgrading of the consultant-led maternity unit in Caithness and push the minister on plans to restore these services”.
Responding to the letter, the minister said that she appreciated Mr Stone’s “sustained interest” in his constituents’ safety and wellbeing, and agreed to meet with him to discuss maternity services.
Mr Stone said: “I am pleased that the minister is willing to meet with me to discuss this issue. At least one member of the Scottish Government is ready to face the music.
“Unfortunately the same cannot be said for the First Minister, who is clearly using this meeting as a way of hiding behind his cabinet member.
“It is not enough to preach your understanding of an issue. Whether it be in the chamber or on paper, I won’t believe John Swinney is truly serious about fixing this issue until he comes and experiences it for himself.
“But then, is it any wonder he’s not jumping at the opportunity?
“Nevertheless, I intend to meet with the minister and hold the Scottish Government accountable for the downgrading of the consultant-led maternity unit in Caithness. I will also expect to hear about what plans they have to restore these services.
“So long as I am the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, I won’t stop fighting for this.”
CHAT chairman Ron Gunn said: “I am very disappointed but not surprised that the First Minister has ignored the invitation to come and see for himself the problems faced by patients in the north but am delighted that our MP Jamie Stone has secured a meeting with the minister for public health and women’s health to discuss this matter of great concern to the people of the north, andI thank him for his relentless fighting.
“Following the human rights report, CHAT submitted a report to the United Nations Human Rights Committee and our submission has been accepted and added to the agenda for the UN meeting on February 12 in Geneva.
Top stories
“Iain Gregory, our vice-chair, has been invited to present the submission via an online link. The report will then be debated by the 18 members on the committee. We will hear the result later this year.”
Lib Dem candidate David Green said: “I will say it until I am blue in the face – it shouldn’t take the Scottish Human Rights Commission to warn that human rights are under threat to see action from the Scottish Government.
“It is of course deeply frustrating that the First Minister will not meet with local campaigners to hear their concerns first-hand. We must keep banging the drum to make sure local voices are heard, and we will.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “NHS Highland took the decision to move to a midwife-led unit at Caithness General Hospital based on patient safety. This means that women can choose to give birth with the support of a midwife, either at home or in the midwife-led unit.
“However, if there are any risks to mother or baby, they are advised to give birth at Raigmore’s consultant-led unit which has access to specialist care.
“To minimise the need for women to travel, NHS Highland provides weekly obstetric-run antenatal clinics and scanning services in Caithness. NHS Highland also helps with travel and accommodation costs for those who need to travel for care.
“The minister for public and women’s health will meet with Jamie Stone MP to engage on this issue further.”
To subscribe to the paper please follow this link: www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/subscribe/
Use the promo code DAVIDGSCOTT to get a year of unlimited digital access for just £10 – we really appreciate your support.