Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 25 October 2022
25 Oct 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Moray Maternity Services
I thank the cabinet secretary for providing prior sight of the statement.
My constituents in Moray are extremely concerned that model 4 is unsafe and is, at best, a distraction from delivering model 6. At worst, it could become the permanent solution. Those concerns are backed up by the clinicians at Raigmore hospital, who tell us that the service at Raigmore is currently unsafe and cannot take an additional 190 patients, far less the 650 to 900 that they predict. The gulf in those numbers is because the Government’s estimate is based on United Kingdom-wide figures and not remote and rural figures, which demand a more risk-averse approach, given the distances that patients have to travel in an emergency.
The cabinet secretary is saying that he hears those concerns, but he has given no indication in his statement of how they will be resolved. He will have a plan at the end of December, but can I ask for the detail of how and, more importantly, when model 6—not just the plan—will be delivered?
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Colleagues, the next item of business is a statement by Humza Yousaf on Moray maternity services. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of his...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care (Humza Yousaf)
SNP
I committed to come back to the chamber to provide an update on Moray maternity services, and I am pleased to be able to do that today. I intend to set out t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that were raised in his statement. We have slightly overrun, but I intend to protect around 20 mi...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I know that it is customary in the Scottish Parliament to thank the Scottish Government for making a statement, but I just cannot. I cannot, on behalf of Mor...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Mr Ross, I have given you some latitude. I am giving you some latitude, but—
Douglas Ross
Con
So how long?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You had 90 seconds. You are at around two minutes; I will give you two and a half minutes.
Douglas Ross
Con
Thank you. What does the health secretary say to the 22 clinicians from NHS Highland who wrote to him today to say that model 4 remains “fundamentally flawe...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Cabinet secretary.
Douglas Ross
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Would you accept an emergency motion to ensure that a longer discussion can be had on this issue?
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
You have suggested such a motion in the past. I accepted it in the past; I do not see the need to do so on this occasion. I gave you additional time, and you...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
Given the limited time that we have this afternoon, if Douglas Ross wants to discuss these issues in more detail, I am happy to commit to a meeting with him....
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for providing prior sight of the statement. My constituents in Moray are extremely concerned that model 4 is unsafe and is, at...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I cannot tell Rhoda Grant when model 6 will be delivered, because I must wait for the detail of the plan that will come to me in December. I will be happy to...
Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
How will the Scottish Government continue to keep the invaluable voices and lived experience of the women and families of Moray central to its decision makin...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I can be brief and say that that will absolutely be part of our engagement as we go forward. That is not just from my point of view. Yesterday, I met members...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I have twice met members of the maternity team at Raigmore. I listened to them—I really listened, cabinet secretary—and they are worried about the safety of ...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I also listen to and hear the concerns of clinicians. Interruption. I notice that the Conservatives are often shouting from a sedentary position. If they wan...
Edward Mountain
Con
I have read the plan. It is rude to suggest that I have not.
Humza Yousaf
SNP
Presiding Officer, I can only make progress on the statement if the Conservatives do not barrack from a sedentary position. If Edward Mountain will let me re...
Audrey Nicoll (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
How does NHS Grampian aim to cultivate a positive and supportive workplace culture at Dr Gray’s and its other sites?
Humza Yousaf
SNP
That is crucial. We will not make progress to our final destination of model 6 unless we take staff, the clinicians and the local community with us. NHS Gram...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Women in Moray are being let down by a lack of services close to home. However, they are also being let down by the Scottish Government’s sheer inability to ...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I respect Carol Mochan very much, but I disagree vigorously with her on that point. We value the NHS workforce—we do not just talk the talk on that, but put ...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP)
SNP
The concerns of the consultants and staff at the maternity unit at Raigmore are essentially that the business case that was prepared by NHS Highland manageme...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
In short yes, she will. That is why I have asked Linda de Caestecker to look at the concerns that were raised in that open letter from clinicians. I have not...
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
It is clear that considerable effort has been put into finding a workable solution to improve maternity care for women in Moray. However, I am aware that, un...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I have tended to agree with most members of the Scottish Parliament that the situation that Moray women face is far from ideal. No one in the Government, or ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We have just more than two minutes left and three colleagues who want to ask questions, so I ask for briefer questions and answers.
Stephanie Callaghan (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP)
SNP
How will NHS Grampian adopt robust clinical governance arrangements in the maternity service that fulfil the requirements of the clinical and care governance...