Picture: Daniel Forsyth. Image No.032718
FAMILIES across Moray and Banffshire are being urged to give their views on proposed changes to the paediatric service at Dr Gray’s hospital. A three-month consultation period has been launched by Pam Gowans, NHS Grampian executive lead for the hospital. A national shortage of qualified medical professionals and the consequent recruitment challenges this brought led to restricted opening hours for the children’s ward. At present it is open between 8am and 10pm and children who require overnight care are transferred to Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital (RACH). Ms Gowans said: “Over the last few months specialist staff from the service, along with colleagues across the hospital and public representatives, have been working on a long-term solution. “The model they have developed would see 24/7 opening return on the Children’s Ward which we are keen to see. “It would also significantly reduce the number of children transferred to Aberdeen by around 110 a year when compared with the temporary model we have in place at the moment. We need to be clear though, the most unwell children in Moray have always had to be treated in specialist units elsewhere and that would still be the case.”
See full story in Banffshire Advertiser 9th July 2019