Liberal Democrat Public Health spokesperson Jamie Stone MSP has written to the Health Secretary demanding urgent clarification of the Scottish Government’s plans for maternity services in the north of Scotland.

The Scottish Government has just published an action plan to “secure” the future of six hospitals in Scotland's remote and rural areas. In the Scottish Government press release that accompanied the report, the Health Secretary promised that everyone in Scotland should have “equal access to the NHS, no matter where they live". But, she went on to imply that the Scottish Government wants to see maternity services at 6 core rural hospitals being midwife-led.

In his letter, Mr Stone wrote:

“Twice now the consultant-led maternity service based in Caithness General Hospital in Wick has been considered for downgrading to a midwife-led service. Twice the local people have strenuously opposed this backward step, and twice they have won the argument.

“The distances involved - transporting pregnant mothers well over 100 miles each way to have their babies in Inverness - demonstrated why these proposals were entirely unacceptable. When the dangers of inclement weather, when the A9 blocks and the emergency helicopter can't fly were considered, then the truth that a downgraded maternity service in the North would be "a tragedy waiting to happen" was clear to all.

“Should it be, and I sincerely hope that this is not the case, that the news release does in fact amount to the Scottish Government approving the downgrading of the maternity service in the North, then I and many others will fight any such proposal tooth and nail. The previous time this was considered saw demonstrations in Edinburgh and Caithness, and saw Highland MSPs of all parties speak with one voice. You should be very clear about this. If we have to, then we'll fight again.”