Highland MSP calls for “clear commitment” on Caithness maternity review in maiden speech
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP David Green used his maiden speech in the Scottish Parliament to call for a “clear commitment” from the Scottish Government to deliver the independent review of maternity services in Caithness that MSPs voted for.
Consultant-led maternity services were first removed from Caithness General Hospital in 2016. This means that women in Caithness can now face a 100-mile journey down the A9 to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to give birth.
Only six births took place at Caithness General Hospital in 2025. The Scottish Human Rights Commission also intervened in 2024, warning in a report that the right to health in the Far North was seriously inadequate with regards to accessibility and availability.
Speaking in a debate on the future of the NHS, Mr Green said: “No issue speaks more to that sense of being forgotten and misunderstood than the downgrading of maternity services in Caithness.
“Surely all Members can agree that it isn’t acceptable that mums-to-be in Caithness have to travel 100-mile journeys in order to give birth at hospital in Inverness.
“Many families have shared their stories with me - the fear of battling through winter snow, the trauma when emergency transfer plans go wrong, and the anxiety about whether they could ever face having another child under such circumstances.”
The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP added: “The Cabinet Secretary will also be aware that last November this Parliament voted for a Liberal Democrat amendment calling for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.
“That must mean a chair independent of both NHS Highland and the Scottish Government, along with a commitment to community-led engagement.”
Mr Green concluded: “I urge her today to provide my constituents with a clear commitment on those points and the reassurance they have waited far too long to receive.”
The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care, Angela Constance MSP, confirmed she will deliver a statement on maternity services to Parliament next Thursday [11 June]. Speaking after the exchanges, the Far North MSP said:
“I was sent to Holyrood with a clear message that a change of approach is needed when it comes to healthcare, particularly women’s healthcare. People will expect the Government to reflect on that ahead of the forthcoming statement on maternity services.
“I will continue to work alongside the Caithness Health Action Team, who have led this campaign with real determination. I was pleased to have had the opportunity to put on record my thanks to Ron Gunn, Iain Gregory, and Maria Aitken for their outstanding leadership.”
Mr Green also used his speech to call for a “reset” to how the Scottish Parliament works for local communities, alongside an offer that Liberal Democrats will “work constructively” with the government to ensure power is placed closer to the communities it serves.
The newly elected MSP concluded his maiden speech by quoting his friend, the late Jim Wallace, whose family, and friends will meet in Dunblane on Friday [5 June] to celebrate his life of public service.
The former Deputy First Minister, in his last contribution to the Scottish Parliament, set a challenge to MSPs. He said: “At a time when politics can be so polarising, surely a common commitment to service, whatever our faith or creed, is something that can unite us.”
Mr Green said he hoped that “this Parliament will rise to the challenge that Jim has set us” and added: “For my part, I am committed to doing everything I can.”
ENDS.