Scottish ministers accused of ‘tepid and evasive’ response to rising neonatal deaths

Scottish ministers’ response to rising neonatal deaths has been “tepid and evasive”, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats has said.

In his third letter to public health minister Jenni Minto on the issue, Alex Cole-Hamilton warned the Scottish Government to make the spike in deaths an “acute priority”.

It comes after the Herald revealed earlier this week that Grampian, Lothian, Western Isles, Lanarkshire and Borders health boards had been rated red for neonatal mortality in 2022, once birth defects were excluded as a cause of death.

Neonatal deaths occur within the first 28 days of life.

The figures were revealed in the UK-wide audit known as Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audit and Confidential Enquiries (MBRRACE).

Regions are flagged as red if their death rates are more than 5% higher than the UK average for their group.

It is up one health board from both 2020 and 2021 and is the highest since 2017.

In his letter to the minister, Mr Cole-Hamilton has demanded she makes a parliamentary statement setting out how the Government will respond.

He said he has filed numerous parliamentary questions and letters demanding answers, and called the Government response half-hearted.

He wrote: “There can be few more acute priorities for a government and its ministers than uncovering why the death rate among newborn babies has spiked.

“The Government’s response so far has been tepid and evasive.

“Alongside filing written parliamentary questions, this is now the third time I have written to you requesting that the Scottish Government answers questions in public on this matter.”

Ms Minto said: “The death of a baby is a traumatic event that has a profound and lasting impact, and families who have experienced such a tragedy have my deepest sympathy. I thank Mr Cole-Hamilton for his letter, and I will respond in due course.”

The public health minister added that the MBRRACE reports “give us valuable insight into national and local rates of stillbirth and neonatal mortality”, stating that “their evidence has contributed to the continuing overall decline in the extended perinatal mortality rate in Scotland”.

Ms Minto continued: “We expect all health boards to carefully consider MBRRACE reports and undertake local reviews of services rated red for stillbirth or neonatal death, and ensure that when deaths occur, any improvements are identified and acted on.”