Campaigners secure Ministerial visit to Caithness maternity services

Following calls from campaigners, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Public Health and Women's Health Jenni Minto MSP has agreed to visit Caithness to meet with local residents who are worried about the lack of maternity services.

The agreement comes following a meeting today [01 April] between Far North MP Jamie Stone, Wick Councillor Jan McEwan and local Scottish Parliamentary candidate David Green.

Maternity at Caithness General was downgraded almost ten years ago, leaving most mums-to-be with 100-mile journeys to give birth at hospital in Inverness. Just 15 women gave birth at the community midwife-led unit in Wick in 2024.

Late last year, the Scottish Human Rights Commission concluded centralisation of health services led to 14,000 patients a year from Caithness and Sutherland travelling to Inverness for care with left feeling “unsafe” and “terrified.”

The Caithness Health Action Team (Chat) argues that the existing level of health care involving long journeys for treatment is a breach of human rights affecting women and babies and many other patients, bringing their case to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights last month. 

During the meeting, the Minister empathised with mothers in Caithness, comparing maternity conditions to those of mothers in her own rural constituency of Argyll and Bute. Minto stated that while there was room for improvement, she had been assured by NHS Highland that conditions had improved in the past 18-months. 

In addition to raising Orkney's model of provision - a midwife-led maternity unit supported by consultants - Mr Green urged the Scottish Government to respond to the UN’s recommendations when published and be prepared to act.

Commenting, Mr Stone said: 

“It was a constructive meeting and I think all of us who participated were pleased that the Minister was listening. 

“I stressed the risk element of mothers having to travel so far to give birth in Inverness. A risk that becomes all the greater in winter when the A9 can block and take hours to clear, and could be compounded in the nightmare scenario when all the air ambulances have been called away to other parts for emergency reasons. 

“To illustrate the risk element, I reminded the minister of the mother of twins - who gave birth to the first twin in Golspie on the way south and the second in Inverness. 

“That was a horrific incident which we never want to see happen again.”

David Green, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, said:

"Knowing that some families are choosing not to have more children, or moving out of the area altogether, to avoid travelling such distances for giving birth is deeply troubling. 

“All credit to the Caithness Health Action Team for taking this case to the UN in Geneva, which could prove to be a real turning point in this campaign. I am pleased the Minister agreed to look at the recommendations and respond accordingly. 

“Restoring maternity services in Caithness must be a priority. I have no doubt local folk will share that message loud and clear with the Minister when she visits in due course.”

Cllr Jan McEwan added: 

“Women of all ages deserve better health care in the North, whether it be maternity or other gynaecology issues. If we want to get to grips with the depopulation and ensure the Far North is a place people can thrive, we require better all round health care.”

ENDS.