More than 400 complaints about maternity care in Highland since 2020

2 Mar 2026

More than 400 complaints about maternity care have been lodged with NHS Highland in the past five, figures by the Scottish Liberal Democrats reveal, prompting renewed calls for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.

The figures place NHS Highland near the top of the complaints league table. Only the two largest boards - NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian - recorded more. At least 3,487 complaints have been made across Scotland in the past five years.

The intervention comes after David Green, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, challenged the SNP’s Maree Todd to explain to people in Caithness why her government u-turned on delivering the independent review that she voted for.

That vote at Holyrood on 5 November, then welcomed as an important victory for mums to be in Caithness, saw the Scottish Parliament back a Scottish Liberal Democrat amendment which specifically called for an “independent review of maternity services in Caithness”.

However, details emerged before Christmas from a series of media inquiries and freedom of information requests that revealed the Scottish Government has “no plans” to commission the review it voted for in Holyrood.

In a letter to Mr Green on November 26, NHS Highland’s Chief Executive Fiona Davies explained there will be a Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, instead chaired by an SNP Government Minister.

The SNP’s Maree Todd responded, saying she was pleased the Scottish Government have confirmed a national review of service and has made representations to the Scottish Government. There was no explanation for the u-turn on an independent review.

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

“The sheer number of complaints about maternity care in the Highlands should set alarm bells ringing in government. Behind every single complaint is a mother, a baby and a family with worries that deserve to be addressed.

“For years, families and campaigners in Caithness have been raising concerns about the downgrading of local services and the long journeys many women are forced to make to give birth. Those concerns cannot simply be brushed aside.

“When MSPs voted for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness, it was a recognition that trust needs to be rebuilt. The effective silence we now have from the SNP is inexcusable. Families deserve an answer - why have they backed away from delivering that review?

“Alongside CHAT, I will continue to call for the review to be fully independent. That means a chairperson outside of NHS Highland’s leadership team and beyond the Scottish Government’s oversight, a timeline for delivery, and a commitment to community-led engagement. That is the transparency and accountability families deserve.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has also called for ministers to urgently set out when they will conduct a national investigation into maternity services in Scotland. He said:

In a sit-down interview with The Herald newspaper, Women’s Health Minister Jenni Minto - who was brought by campaigners to Caithness last summer - refused to set a timetable for the review, saying it was more important to “get it right” than to rush reform.

The minister also declined to say whether all maternity services across Scotland are currently delivering the highest standards of care, after concerns were raised by mothers who said they feared for the quality of treatment.

“Across Scotland, experiences of maternity care are deteriorating, and in the very worst cases, that decline is resulting in tragedy,” Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP explained.

“Staff are telling us that wards are dangerously overstretched; they have spoken out about a toxic culture that’s bringing mothers and babies to harm. Wherever people are being treated in our NHS, they deserve to be safe and looked after, but that should be particularly true for our maternity wards.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader added: “The Scottish Government must urgently set out when they will launch a national investigation into maternity services, which they have recently cast doubt on. My party will also continue to hold ministers’ feet to the fire on their failure to conduct an independent review of maternity services specifically in Caithness.”

ENDS.

Notes to editors:

You can find the results of the Scottish Liberal Democrat FOI here. The request found that:

Since 2020/21, at least 3,487 complaints have been made about maternity care.
Most of these complaints were made by patients.
Between 2020 and 2025, complaints about maternity care have increased by around a quarter, with the highest number of complaints recorded last year, in 2024/25.
Between April and November 2025 alone, 373 complaints were made about maternity care.
Since 2020, NHS Glasgow has recorded the highest number of complaints (745, all made by patients), while NHS Lothian has recorded the second highest (582, all made by patients).
In the same period, NHS Highland recorded 414 complaints from patients about maternity care.

The letter below was sent below to Maree Todd MSP on 30 January 2026 - there has been no response.

Maree Todd MSP
Scottish Parliament
Edinburgh
EH99 1SP

Dear Maree,

Re: Independent Review of Maternity Services in Caithness

I hope you had an enjoyable festive break. I am writing following the vote in the Scottish Parliament in favour of an amendment that directs the Scottish Government to commission an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.

As you will recall, the Scottish Liberal Democrat amendment S6M-19512.1 reads:

“notes that, following the downgrading of the consultant-led maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in 2016, women in Caithness can face a 100 mile trip down the A9 to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to give birth, and calls on the Scottish Government to commission an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.”

At the time, I welcomed the SNP’s support. Securing it was a win for the women who have shared their concerns and experiences of travelling to Inverness to give birth and testament to the hard work of Caithness Health Action Team.

However, details reported before Christmas from a series of media inquiries and freedom of information requests revealed the Scottish Government has “no plans” to commission the review it voted for in Holyrood.

In a letter to myself on 26 November, NHS Highland’s Chief Executive Fiona Davies explained there will be a Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, instead chaired by the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health. Fiona Davies explained: “The taskforce will review rural service provision, and that will include maternity services in Caithness and Stranraer.” This has also been confirmed by a Scottish Government spokesperson.

This u-turn raises serious questions concerning the respect for the will of Parliament. MSPs - including yourself - voted for the Scottish Government to commission an independent review of maternity services in Caithness. That is what the public now expects. I fear a failure to deliver will only further damage trust in our politics.

Alongside Caithness Health Action Team and Jamie Stone MP, I have called for the review to be fully independent. We are calling a chairperson outside of NHS Highland’s leadership team and beyond the Scottish Government’s oversight, a timeline for delivery, and a commitment to community-led engagement. We have set out these requests in a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, which I have attached.

The people of Caithness deserve clarity and transparency. I therefore respectfully ask that you explain your vote on 5 November 2025 and the Scottish Government’s position, including with regards to the request made to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care concerning the nature and scope of the review.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

David Green
Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Caithness, Sutherland, and Ross