Planned review of Caithness Maternity Services: FOI release

Information requested

“the details of the planned review of Caithness maternity services which has been publicly announced by the Health Minister Neil Gray.”

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. The reasons why we do not have the information are explained in the Annex to this letter.

However, it may be helpful if I clarify that whilst there are no plans for an independent review of Caithness maternity services, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care announced establishment of a Ministerial Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce on 29 October, which the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto, will chair.

During a debate on Maternity Services in Parliament on 5 November, the Minister stated that the Taskforce will look at the scope of a national review based on the emerging themes and outcomes of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Inspections of obstetric maternity units across Scotland, and any other area that the Taskforce might identify. This approach will be driven by expert advice from the Taskforce, including voices of lived experience.

The Cabinet Secretary also stated that he would ask the Taskforce to look at rural maternity services as one of its first areas of focus, and review the issues in rural communities including Caithness and Stranraer.

The Taskforce is still being established and a workplan, including communications, will be agreed in due course. The Minister has committed to keep Scottish Parliament updated on the work of the Taskforce. This information will be publicly available on the Parliament’s website. We will also publish minutes of the Taskforce meetings on the Scottish Government website: The Scottish Government - gov.scot, where you will be able to read about decisions taken by the Taskforce, including decisions on a national review or rural maternity services.

ANNEX

Reasons for not providing information

The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for in relation to “the details of the planned review of Caithness maternity services which has been publicly announced by the Health Minister Neil Gray” as there are no plans for an independent review of maternity services in Caithness.

The Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will look at the scope of a national review based on the emerging themes and outcomes of the Healthcare Improvement Scotland Inspections of Maternity Units across Scotland, and any other area that the Taskforce might identify. It will also look at the provision of maternity services in rural areas, including in Caithness and Stranraer.

As such, I hereby provide you with formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.