Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross hears of Caithness health concerns at meeting with CHAT
Local health campaigners said it was "good for Caithness" that Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross listened closely to their concerns at a meeting in Wick today.
Mr Ross is a regional MSP for the Highlands and Islands as well as MP for Moray.
He met members of Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) for an hour and a half in the Norseman Hotel.
CHAT chairman Ron Gunn said afterwards: "We are delighted that Mr Ross wanted to meet with us and we discussed a number of health concerns. He obviously had a huge interest in maternity as he works closely with the Keep Mum campaign group in Moray."
The consultant-led maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in Wick was downgraded in 2016 to a midwife-led facility and most women in the far north now give birth at Raigmore
Mr Gunn said: "Mr Ross could not understand why the Scottish Government agreed to hold an independent inquiry about Elgin but not one for Caithness.
"He was very interested to hear that we supplied the lay-flat baby seats for newborn babies to allow them to travel more safely. His own son suffered breathing problems while they travelled home after he was born because he was in an ordinary child seat.
"He acknowledged that it was a positive thing that we recently met with the health secretary, Humza Yousaf.
"Mr Ross said he intends to raise some of our concerns in the Scottish Parliament.
"It is great for a campaign group to have the leader of a political party showing such interest and have him as a supporter. It's good for Caithness that he was willing to meet with us, listen to the concerns, and hopefully try and do something about them."