Maternity Unit Victory

[Rebel]

Who do you think was most instrumental in saving consultant-led services in Caithness? In terms of politicians, I was very disapointed in some. In terms of political parties, my hat goes of to the socialists. I have never even voted before but the next opportunity I get, I will vote and I'll vote SSP. I think they deserve my vote. No other party defended our maternity unit with such spirit and fortitude. Credit where credit is due. I have never been very political, but this whole episode has opened my eyes. The threat to the maternity unit scared me and I have no intention of helping those responsible back in to power.

[Drutt]

Did you mean to be quite so transparent? Or am I just being cynical in suspecting you're already a committed SSP member? And have been for quite some time?

[Kenn]

I am not resident in Caithness but did do my best to add weight to the campaign. I was very pleasantly surprised at the response from John Thurso who although not my MP replied to all my enquiries and also made available all details of whom I should contact in Scotland, both MSPs and Health Authorities.
The courtesy and quick response when I am not a constituent would be a good lesson to those who represent me where I currently live as they rarely acknowledge any enquiry sent and are even less likely to take any action.
Needless to say I am delighted with the outcome..now how about getting Wick General upgraded so that the populous will not have to travel to Inverness,Aberdeen,Glasgow ets. which is a TOTAL disgrace.

[Bill Fernie]

I am surprised anyone would ask who was instrumental in saving the consultant led maternity services in Caithness. It is fairly obvious to most people that the whole community was involved to some extent or another. Few campaigns gain the almost universal support of a community regardless of background or political affiliation.

From the start over two years ago the ladies of the League of Friends of Caithness General Hospital deserve the credit for seeing that something needed done to save a unit in the hospital they do so much to support. Their foresight in acknowledging that the task to retain the service was too big for them and to call on support at a public meeting led to the formation of North Action Group. On that night of the first public meeting a surpsing range of people from differneng political backgrounds and young mothers volunteered to form the new protest and action group. By luck or by chance there was a formidable array of experience, skills and enthusiasm which if the Health Board had but known at the time would go on and on to ensure the north did not lose a precious service and perhaps hasten the decline of the area.

North Action Group formulated a rough outline fo how it would tackle the problem. Under the leadership of the newly elected George Bruce - a very experienced man in health committee terms having been the former chairman of Caithness and Sutherland NHS Trust and backed by a committtee comprising young mothers, three councillors and people from other backgrounds including one SSP person.

It was a whole community that gacve support. One of the biggest demonstrations of over 2000 marchers in Wick coming from all over the county and into Sutherland demonstrated to the NAG committee that here was something that had to be pursued for all it was worth. NAG Members attended almost evey Health Board comittee in the first year of the campaign to nbbe on hand to brief the press on any statement made by the board about the maternity issue. NAG also isssued a constant stream of statements to themedia to ensure that every meeting was covered refelcting the laterst thinking about the issue. As report official or otherwise came out NAG held meeting to discuss a repsonse. This went on througout thew two years of the campaign. From the start NAG new that to win a media campaign woudl be required and that taking it all behind closed doord would get nowhere for the community.

NAG organised trips to Inverness regularly and protests in Edinburgh to lobby MSP's and the Scottish Parliament. Keeping up the momentum over such aloing period is not easy and always the need was to come up with something else and to take on evey change in stance of the board or mention in the press from elsewhere being preparewd to counter all of the arguments being put forward to remove the service.

Many groups were behind the campaign as was seen by the constant flow of funds organised by many groups and individuals. NAG never was short of money supplied by the local community on many levels. In two years there was never a NAG meeting without announcmentts about the finances which always showed new donations coming in. this releived the committee of the need to do too much fund raisng and concentrate o the campaign. Still NAG ran a dance, raffle and got supporters badges on sale to make some money. Many businesses sent donations from the small to the very large.

Politicians all over Highland council supported the campaign. The area convenor David Flear was outspoken in his support as was Alison Magee the Highland council convenor and councillor for Lairg. Caithness and Sutherland Enteprise and its controlling body Highlands And Enterprise were behind the campaing. Highland Council and HIE jointly funded a consultants Socio economic review costing £60,000 into the problems for the area if the maternity unit was downgraded.

MSPs from the Scottish parliament were all supportive of the NAG stance. NAG worked away even in the face of people saying that the decisions had already been made. Rob Gibson MSP managed to get debate in the Scottish parliament on the issue. Jamie Stone MSP managed to get petition in via the petitions committee of the Scottish parliament. All of the Highland MSP's met NAG on the barriers at the Edinburgh demonstration expressing support.

To try to allocate who did the most is impossible. On many levels and often behind the scenes a commuity was mobilised and it was successful. To try to allocate who did most is futile exercise. To win required the combined efforts of eveyone who could contribute and to that end has been spectacularly successful. Few other health campaigns on downgrading or closure elsewhere have succeeded. There is much more int he detail. Who cares now. It is history although NAG will remian until the posts are filled and then donate remaining funds to the hospital prbably via the League of Friends who got eveything going. Those ladies are more ferocious than they look.

I am proud to see that people in Caithness and Sutherland still have the ability to see what is important and use their energy to achieve what is needed at the right time. It give me great confidence that this area can overcome problems on many other aspects facing the area.

So finally who do I think was instrumental in the whole issue? Without a doubt the united people of the north. What a combination. Unstoppable.

Well done to eveyone who helped in any way.