Neil Gray is “confident” that after seven years, full maternity care will finally return to Dr Gray’s Hospital by the end of 2026.
The health secretary said the downgraded maternity ward at the Elgin hospital is making “positive progress” towards providing a full, modern maternity service in Moray.
“I am confident and the staff are confident, the recruitment to positions has been phenomenal,” Gray said on Friday during a visit.
He said NHS Grampian has already recruited 80% of the staff needed to continue the gradual reintroduction of maternity services at the Moray hospital, backed by over £6 million in additional funding from the Scottish Government.
iStockIt’s welcome news for mothers and babies in the north east.
Dr Gray’s was previously downgraded in 2018 due to staff shortages, forcing some expectant mothers to travel long distances to Aberdeen for maternity care.
Campaigners and expectant mothers have since demanded a full, local maternity service to be returned to Dr Gray’s.
Some progress has already been made, with planned caesareans finally returning to the hospital’s services in early April.
However, the health board previously said work was ongoing to gradually reintroduce a consultant-led maternity service at Dr Gray’s by the end of 2026.
The health secretary confirmed that plans are still on track for that date.
‘Majority of Moray babies are born in Aberdeen’
Marj Adams, a Keep Mum campaigner, is cautiously optimistic about the progress so far.
“We are more confident – to hear staff are being recruited successfully is amazing,” Ms Adams told STV News.
“But obviously we will remain concerned and vigilant until the unit is actually restored.”
She added that although there’s been “a lot of progress”, it’s “still a fact that the vast majority of Moray babies are born in Aberdeen”.
“Only very few babies are born in Elgin, and we must not lose sight of that because the whole point is that the distance is too far to travel in labour, too far to travel for an induction, and certainly too far to travel if you’re being transferred in an emergency.
Ms Adams added: “So although there’s been progress, the actual service has a long way to go to restore the unit.”
‘Giving birth in Aberdeen would have been daunting’
During his visit, the health secretary met newborn Jack and mum Sarah who have benefited from the planned caesarean service returning to Dr Gray’s.
Just a few months ago, Sarah would have had to travel to Aberdeen for her planned caesarean. Instead, she was able to give birth in Elgin, where she lives.
She told reporters on Friday that Aberdeen is not only a busier hospital, but that the experience would have been “a bit daunting” since she had not been there during her pregnancy.
“I had all my scans here [at Dr Gray’s], all my consultant appointments were here, and it’s nice to finish it off having my baby here,” Sarah said.
Gray said the impact of having more maternity services in Elgin is “fantastic”.
“You can see the joy it brings to people here,” he said after meeting Sarah and Jack.
Jane Gill, programme director for the joint NHS Grampian and NHS Highland Maternity Collaborative, is also “delighted” by the progress at Dr Gray’s.
“We’ve gone live with planned caesareans a couple months earlier than planned, we have the most advanced antenatal care at Dr Gray’s that we’ve ever had, and it’s a privilege to have the health secretary on site to see it,” she said.
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