Health campaigner "fearful for every woman in Caithness" when bad weather strikes
Last week, the A9 was shut overnight near Helmsdale due to snowy conditions.
Last updated 23rd Jan 2024
A Far North health campaigner says she is "enormously stressed and anxious" every time adverse weather hits due to the lack of services available locally.
Last week, the A9 was shut overnight near Helmsdale due to snowy conditions.
Many mums to be in Caithness travel more than a hundred miles to Inverness to have their babies after the maternity unit at Caithness General was switched to being midwife led in 2017.
For years, there have also been calls to have gynaecology services closer to home with fears care is becoming too centralised.
"It's just not good enough"
Kirsteen Campbell, from Thrumster, told us how she feels whenever bad weather is forecast.
"Enormously stressed and anxious, really fearful for every woman in Caithness," she said.
"We don't have any emergency back up locally for anything women's health related, which is incredibly worrying.
"Conditions were horrendous all week and it would've been very challenging for a helicopter to come in.
"We're seeing more and more adverse weather coming in.
"These storms seems to be causing absolute chaos, I've never seen flooding like what we had in October and then again in December."
Kirsteen outlined how she wants to see a new investigation into the matter
She added: "We need safe local services, we need 24/7 gynaecology care back in Caithness.
"It is the only way that it's going to be any safer.
"We need to see a new full investigation into how things are running, because right now it's failing every woman whether they're a gynaecology or maternity patient.
"It's just not good enough."
"Safe maternity care as close to home as practicable is vital."
NHS Highland they're "internally reviewing" their services.
A spokesperson said: "We work closely with the Scottish Ambulance Service who have established protocols in situations of adverse weather to ensure emergency transfers can take place.
"If road transportation is not available, as has been the case due to the recent adverse weather, patients can be transferred by Air Ambulance or Coast Guard.
"The establishment of the midwife-led Community Midwifery Unit (CMU) model in Caithness was originally set up in 2017 on the grounds of safety.
"Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the midwifery staff in Caithness, the CMU is now fully established with care being provided locally for women throughout the whole pregnancy journey.
"Local birth is an option for women who have low risk pregnancy, women with medical or pregnancy complications are referred to Raigmore Hospital, where consultant obstetric and neonatal services are available.
"There is no change in the current service provision as it stands and there is no external independent review at this time. We are, however, internally reviewing our services, the performance and improvement potential in line with the quality and safety requirements we have to work within and the resources available to us.
"We continue to work with Scottish Government in respect of ensuring we move forward optimising the possibility of both midwifery and consultant lead births across Highland and Argyll and Bute."
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Safe maternity care as close to home as practicable is vital.
"The Scottish Government recognises the concerns that adverse weather conditions can bring, and the wider challenges facing rural and island health boards.
"Work is ongoing to ensure maternity services are developed in a flexible and sustainable way, recognising local population needs and geographic challenges.
“NHS Highland is working closely with local people and campaign groups, to develop safe and sustainable services that best meet the needs of local people, including maternity services.”