Push for independent Caithness maternity review is ramped-up by campaigners as NHS Highland called on to furnish Scottish Government with information for a decision
The Scottish Government and NHS Highland are being pressed to set out a timetable on when a decision will be made on whether an independent review of maternity services in Caithness will take place.
It comes after The John O’Groat Journal revealed last month that since maternity services in the county were downgraded in 2016 there has been not one single review of the policy.
David Green, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, wrote to NHS Highland asking it to collate the information so Scottish Ministers can make that decision.
Women’s health minister Jenni Minto met Mr Green alongside MP Jamie Stone and Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) in August when she said she would consider an independent review.
Since then – partly through multiple letters to the Groat and statements from MSPs – the issue returned to the political agenda, with next year’s Holyrood election looming.
Claims by local MSP Maree Todd that maternity services are a Scottish Government “priority” sparked an angry public backlash with one local saying: “No, it’s not. Enough with the empty slogans.”
Damning reports by the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) and the UN said that the right to access health care in the far north was seriously inadequate.
Parliamentary questions from the Liberal Democrats requested ministers to outline when and how they expect to reach a decision on an independent maternity review.
In response, Ms Minto said she has written to NHS Highland and “if Scottish ministers have concerns about local services they would discuss these with the board… following which ministers may decide to commission an independent review.”
She added: “There are no set criteria for such decisions.”
Mr Green said: “Quite frankly, to read the recent claim from the SNP that maternity services are a priority of their government is utterly tone deaf and absent of any contrition for the circumstances for which people are concerned today.
“Both the Scottish Human Rights Commission and the UN called this a matter of human rights, and I agree. Those judgements are not just about the hollowing out of maternity services, they highlight the increasing centralisation of sexual health services too.
“It is up to ministers to decide whether they will commission an independent review of maternity services in Caithness, that is clear. But every day without action is another day women face unacceptable 100-mile journeys.
“It is only right that the Scottish Government makes clear when they expect to have the information they require from NHS Highland in order to make a decision. Maternity services and women’s healthcare in Caithness must be at the top of their agenda.”
Councillor Ron Gunn, chairperson of Caithness Health Action Team, said: “The downgrading of maternity services has had a big impact on our community, none more so that mums, babies, and their families.
“The knock-on effect to health care for women in the area cannot go ignored.
“Truth be told, we have now met with multiple health secretaries, government ministers, and NHS Highland chief executives, but nothing has changed in almost a decade.
“It is a disgrace that 90 per cent of our mums must travel to Inverness to give birth.
“The case for an independent review of the maternity situation in Caithness is only growing. The minister said she would consider it during the summer, but our patience is running out. We need an urgent answer – this must be addressed now.”