The restoration of full maternity services at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin will not happen until next year, NHS Grampian has announced, pushing back the original target date by several months.
Services at the facility were substantially reduced in 2018 following staff shortages, forcing most pregnant women in Moray to travel to Aberdeen or Inverness for deliveries. The health board had previously aimed to reinstate a complete consultant-led maternity service by the end of 2024, but now says the work will be completed "as soon as is safely possible" in 2025.
Moray MSP Laura Mitchell expressed frustration at the delay, saying the local community would be "deeply disappointed" and urging NHS Grampian to "bust a gut to get this over the line as soon as possible".
What is driving the delay?
NHS Grampian chief executive Laura Skaife-Knight acknowledged that completing the service by the end of this year was "always an ambitious target". She stated:
"Our end destination is clear, and the full service is now firmly within reach. We just need a little more time, but we are determined to continue the work we have started by delivering the full consultant-led maternity service that Moray has been promised."
Skaife-Knight added:
"My assurance to families is simple: we will do it well and we will do it as soon as is safely possible next year."She also acknowledged local scepticism, saying:
"I know some people in Moray will remain sceptical, and I understand why. They have waited a long time for this, and I want them to know that I take personal responsibility for making sure we do everything possible to finish the job."
Jane Gill, programme director for the Moray Maternity Programme, explained that while a substantial portion of services will be operational by year-end, certain elements require additional preparation. She said:
"We owe it to women and families to be completely open about that and clear about what is available now, what comes next and when, so they have the information they need to make choices and plan."
Gill outlined the rationale for a phased rollout:
"Rather than waiting for one date when everything switches on at once, the proposal being put to the Board this week would allow us to bring services in as soon as they are safe and ready, giving women and families access to more care closer to home at the earliest opportunity."
What progress has been made so far?
Despite the setback, Dr Gray's has achieved several milestones in restoring maternity capacity. Last year, planned Caesarean sections—surgical deliveries performed through an incision in the mother's abdomen and womb—took place at the hospital for the first time in nearly seven years, marking a significant step toward a comprehensive service.
NHS Grampian reports that births at Dr Gray's have increased substantially since 2023, and according to the health board's latest update, the team now has additional sonography capacity and more specialist midwifery roles. The health board is on track to deliver 200 babies at Dr Gray's this year—double the figure from three years ago.
A special care unit for neonatal babies is also being opened, though other services will be delayed until next year. Currently, the facility accepts low-risk pregnancies, though campaigners continue to press for the full return of consultant-led maternity services.
According to recent NHS Grampian announcements, local specialist support now includes bereavement and digital midwifery services, an advanced psychology practitioner, and a dedicated maternity dietitian. Midwifery Manager Jacqui Keddie is moving to a 12-month secondment as Chief Midwife with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, with Tracy Thorn taking over the Moray role.
How does this fit into a wider review?
The delay at Dr Gray's comes as a nationwide examination of Scotland's maternity services gets underway. Led by maternal and child health expert Prof Christine McCourt, the review will run for nine months and will pay particular attention to how care is delivered in rural and island communities, with specific focus on services in Elgin, Caithness, and Wigtownshire.
The review will also take account of unannounced inspections of all 18 of Scotland's acute maternity units currently being conducted by Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Prof McCourt is scheduled to submit her findings and recommendations in July 2025.
What funding and planning support the restoration?
In June 2026, according to Scottish Parliament records, the Scottish Government announced a further £6.5 million investment in the current financial year to support the return of obstetric maternity services at Dr Gray's, though officials noted that progress depends on continued recruitment efforts.
A 2025 NHS Grampian review examined six different service models and recommended implementing a community maternity unit in the short term, with a rural maternity unit supported by a consultant as a longer-term option. This framework is informing the phased approach now being pursued.
What happens next?
NHS Grampian's Board will be asked to endorse the revised approach at its meeting on Thursday. The health board is committed to delivering services in phases as they become safe and ready, rather than waiting for a single date when all elements launch simultaneously. Jacqui Keddie's secondment as Chief Midwife with Healthcare Improvement Scotland will run for 12 months, during which Tracy Thorn will lead the Moray maternity team.
