Mr Stevenson was part of the successful community-led campaign in 2006/07 which fought the withdrawal of maternity services at Fraserburgh Hospital and secured the establishment of the birthing unit.
Commenting, Banff & Buchan MP Eilidh Whiteford said:
“We need to explore and investigate the issues around why this proposal has been made so soon after the birthing unit was established in 2007.
“To that end, I will be seeking to visit the birthing unit at Fraserburgh Hospital and also meet with senior management in NHS Grampian in early course.”
Banffshire & Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson added:
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| Stewart Stevenson MSP at Broadford Hospital which he visited during the last campaign |
“Clearly there will be a number of factors at play here and I have no doubt that NHS Grampian would argue, just as they did in 2006, that the number of births taking place at the birthing unit create issues in terms of staff skills.
“Five years ago, we had an exemplary, well-informed campaign led by the community itself and not politicians. Campaigns led by the community are always the best. At that time, I also undertook a fact-finding visit to a birthing unit run by NHS Highland on Skye. There I found a valued local service which the staff were extremely proud of.
“We now need to engage with NHS Grampian once again and, if it is the will of the community, make the case again for maternity provision at Fraserburgh Hospital. To that end, I want to hear from the people of Fraserburgh and surrounding areas with their experiences of the birthing unit and their views on these proposals.”