Moray MP Douglas Ross said: “This statement from Humza Yousaf offered absolutely no comfort to expectant mothers and families in Moray and those who are campaigning tirelessly for the return of consultant services at Dr Gray’s.
“We are no further forward as a result of the Health Secretary’s latest statement to Parliament. The plans to continue pressing ahead with Model 4 is the wrong approach and he must urgently drop these proposals and get all of the focus and resource on delivering Model 6.
“Humza Yousaf stubbornly refuses to say when Dr Gray’s will get the consultant-led maternity unit we need, but it’s previously been suggested it could take ten years.
“That is an insult to local campaigners and mums. We urgently need to see progress from the Scottish Government and NHS Grampian for local families.
“Humza Yousaf cannot continue to bury his head in the sand. He must listen to the clinicians who wrote to him in no uncertain terms ahead of this statement.
“They rightly say Model 4 is flawed and should be rejected, but Humza Yousaf typically thinks he and the SNP Government know better.
“It is little wonder Keep MUM and other campaigners will be left profoundly disappointed by the lack of detail and progress in this latest statement.
“The Heath Secretary avoided giving an update on these plans for as long as possible, but when he finally did so, it offered nothing new. On emergency Caesareans he has failed to bring these back, despite promising their rapid reintroduction at Dr Gray’s almost a year ago.
“This statement was a total let down for those in Moray who are desperate for answers and leadership from Humza Yousaf.
“It feels like we are further away than ever from a return of consultant-led services at Dr Gray’s but I will not stop challenging the SNP Government until that happens.”