Moray MP Douglas Ross has accused NHS Grampian of “willingly wanting to avoid Parliamentary scrutiny” over future plans for maternity services at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
Douglas has hit out after the health board broke their commitment to deliver timelines for moving to their proposed Model 4 of delivery by the end of June.
However, that will now not be made public until tomorrow (Friday July 1) when the health board hold a meeting with local Moray politicians, including Douglas.
That meeting will ultimately take place after the Scottish Parliament breaks up for summer recess, leaving expectant mothers in Moray in limbo over the next couple of months and opposition politicians unable to question SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf over the plans.
Douglas had written to Humza Yousaf requesting a statement was made on the issue before the summer recess and forced a vote on the matter in Parliament on Tuesday night.
However, his call for a statement was rejected by SNP and Green MSPs, including SNP Moray MSP Richard Lochhead, who he says “shamefully failed to put the interests of mothers in Moray first.”
Douglas says the rejection of his call for a statement and the failure of Humza Yousaf to respond to his letter earlier has enabled NHS Grampian to kick their plans into the long grass and away from Parliamentary scrutiny.
Douglas says it is all too typical of NHS Grampian and the SNP to let down expectant mothers in Moray, who are desperate for a full return of maternity services at Dr Gray’s.
Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “Expectant mothers in Moray will see right through this disgraceful decision by NHS Grampian on the future of maternity services at Dr Gray’s.
“They said that the timelines for their move to model four of delivery would be outlined by June. They are going to miss their own deadline on that.
“The reasons are clear. The health board are willingly seeking to avoid any Parliamentary scrutiny. They have chosen to make deliver their plans tomorrow, less than 24 hours after the Scottish Parliament has broken up for summer recess and won’t sit again until September.
“That is a total dereliction of duty and an insult to expectant mothers and families across Moray.
“NHS Grampian have been helped in their aims to avoid by local SNP MSP Richard Lochhead and SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf every step of the way.
“This week I urged Richard Lochhead and the SNP to accept my calls for a statement in Parliament before recess to give answers to those crying out for them in Moray but they shouted me down and rejected these calls. Humza Yousaf has not even bothered responding to my letter I sent him weeks ago.
“Richard Lochhead and Humza Yousaf have shown clearly where the future of Moray maternity services lies on their priority list.
“It is outrageous that the health board are trying to hide away from their responsibilities. Expectant mothers and families have been let down time and time again by them and SNP ministers.
“That has resulted in babies being born at the roadside or mothers having to take difficult journeys along the A96, as I had first-hand experience of last year.
“This issue is not going away and I will continue to hold ministers and the health board to account, even if they don’t want that to happen in the Holyrood chamber.”