Exclusive:SNP government inaction on Highland healthcare a 'slap in the face'
Campaigners have accused the SNP government of ‘lying’ to ‘chase votes’
Campaigners say the government’s lack of action on maternity services in the far-north Highlands is a “slap in the face” for families.
Maternity services in Caithness were downgraded in 2016 and ever since Caithness General Hospital in Wick has had a midwife-led maternity unit instead. This means 90 per cent of mothers in the area have to make the 110-mile trip to Inverness to give birth.
Ever since, Caithness Health Action Group has been calling for an independent review into maternity services and last month the Scottish Government backed an amendment in Holyrood to launch such an inquiry.
However, the group says they have now been told the review is for rural maternity services nationwide, not specifically Caithness, and that it will not be independent as it is to be chaired by SNP Public Health Minister Jenni Minto.
A response to a freedom of information request at the beginning of December confirmed “there is no information held in relation to the planned review of Caithness maternity services”.
Ron Gunn is chair of Caithness Health Action Group and a councillor for Thurso and northwest Caithness at Highland Council. He told The Scotsman: “We were delighted to hear there was going to be an independent review into maternity services, but since then we have heard nothing and now our understanding is it will be combined into a wider health review throughout Scotland.
“We also wanted it to be independent but the taskforce is to be chaired by Jenni Minto.
“It is a slap in the face for mothers to be and families in Caithness.”
Councillor Gunn added some mothers are having to travel four-and-a-half hours on public transport to give birth and others have had car accidents while driving on the A9. Others have found the road is closed because of bad weather.
He added: “There was one case of a mother of twins going down the road to give birth and got as far as Golspie and had to give birth to the first baby in the cottage hospital there.
“She then carried on to Inverness to give birth to the second baby in one ambulance and her newborn was in a second ambulance.
“I can’t imagine how that poor woman must have felt, it is a horrific story.
“The Scottish Government says it has the best start programme for mums, but that doesn’t apply to Caithness - it is not the best start.”
Another campaigner Peter Todd has gone further and called the SNP government “a bunch of liars” who are more interested in “chasing votes” than in ensuring adequate healthcare in Caithness.
He said: “Announcing a review into maternity services was an attempt to chase votes because the SNP’s Maree Todd is going to lose her seat [Caithness, Sutherland and Ross] in the election.
“It now looks like there is no review despite this affecting the birth rate, the economy and people’s mental health.
“It is absolutely disgraceful to lie to people to chase votes.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “Ministers have already confirmed the Scottish maternity and neonatal taskforce will look at rural maternity services as one of its first areas of focus, and review the issues in rural communities including Caithness.
“A full workplan will be agreed by the taskforce which we expect will have its first meeting in January.”
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