A WOMAN who gave birth to twin babies in two hospitals 50 miles apart is to have her case reviewed by NHS Highland and the ambulance service.
The woman was being transported by ambulance from Caithness to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness when she was taken to Golspie community hospital in Sutherland where she gave birth to the first baby.
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The woman, who has not been named, was then transported from there by road ambulance to Raigmore Hospital where she delivered her second baby.
Her ordeal was raised at First Minister’s Questions by Labour MSP Rhoda Grant on Thursday.
Ms Grant said the assistance of two air ambulances were sought but they had been unable to land.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would ask the health secretary to investigate the case.
It comes amid concerns about changes to maternity services in the Highlands and shortages of staff in some areas.
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There is a midwife-led maternity unit at Caithness General Hospital in Wick supported by consultants in Inverness, but some mothers with higher risk labours must be transferred to Raigmore.
A spokesman for NHS Highland said: “In terms of women travelling to Raigmore Hospital from Caithness, the clinical arrangements and contingency plans are the same as those that have been in place for the other long established midwife-led units in the Highlands and in other rural areas elsewhere in Scotland.”
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The health board and the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) said they would review the recent case involving the woman and her twins.
A spokesman for SAS said: “We cannot comment on individual cases.
“However, for inter-hospital transfers clinicians at NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service carry out a full clinical assessment and jointly agree the safest and most appropriate type of response.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We’re sorry to hear about this mother’s very stressful birth experience and are working closely with NHS Highland to understand the full circumstances surrounding this incident.
“The health secretary is looking very closely into this issue and will investigate it further.”
He added: “We wish the mother and her twins well for the future, and thank all of the staff involved for their hard work.”
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