Far north campaigners call for 24/7 gynaecological service as review gets under way

Women's health campaigners in the far north insist they will settle for nothing less than a 24/7 gynaecological service for Caithness.

They acknowledge that it could take years to achieve – but have been heartened by a meeting this week with Scotland's health secretary Humza Yousaf.

During it, Mr Yousaf confirmed that an NHS Highland review of women’s services was getting under way and he said he would be receiving regular updates.

North Highland Women’s Wellbeing Hub (NHWWH) was represented at Monday's online meeting by its chairperson Kirsteen Campbell and vice-chairperson Rebecca Wymer.

Maree Todd, the MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross and minister for public health and women's health, also took part along with representatives from the Scottish Government health teams and NHS Highland.

Mrs Campbell, Ms Wymer and Claire Clark, the group's secretary/treasurer, had met Mr Yousaf during his visit to Wick last August. They were keen to highlight how the downgrading at Caithness General Hospital in Wick has had an impact on local gynaecology provision.

Speaking after this week's meeting, Mrs Campbell said: “It was really good. Myself and Rebecca both came off feeling really positive.

“There's a review going on in NHS Highland just now around women's health services.

“We started off by giving him an update on the hub and I think he was really impressed with how much we've grown it. The hub's Facebook page engaged with 15,000 people in a week a couple of weeks ago.

"We've now got four support groups – we introduced another three weeks ago. We've now got about 600 group members.

“It has really opened up so many conversations locally and throughout the Highlands. He was really impressed with the hub when we met him in August, but when we gave him the new figures this week he was really impressed with how much it has grown."

She emphasised: “Our ultimate goal is for a 24/7 gynaecological service in Caithness. We won't settle for anything less.

“It might take years, but conversations are happening."

Mrs Campbell also highlighted the difficulties of having to travel to Inverness for appointments, including hazardous road conditions in winter.

“And there's the financial impact of having to take time off work," she added. "It can be really awkward to get time off work to go for an appointment which is 10 minutes when you get there."

She went on: "He [Mr Yousaf] has told NHS Highland that they must work with the hub moving forward – and we have been having regular meetings anyway.

“We do have a really good relationship with NHS Highland. We're critical, but in a nice way.

“We talked about other things around women's health as well because there are Scottish issues, there are UK issues, there's a lot of things that need to change for better care for conditions such as endometriosis.

"The specialists were in on the meeting as well so it was a good opportunity to get those points across.”

Mr Yousaf said: “The public health minister and I met with the North Highland Women’s Hub and NHS Highland this week. We had a very productive meeting, with various concerns raised and discussed.

“As NHS Highland’s review of women’s services gets under way, the board has committed to engaging with the hub throughout the process and I will get regular updates as this continues."

Mrs Campbell and Ms Wymer are due to go to Edinburgh University next week as part of a patient panel, speaking about endometriosis to fifth-year medical students. "It's an amazing opportunity for North Highland to be heard," Mrs Campbell said.

They are scheduled to be in Edinburgh again in May for the World Congress on Endometriosis.

She said: “We are really keen to engage every way that we can to improve things for women in the north.”

Last month, responding to concerns raised by NHWWH, a spokesperson for the health board said: "NHS Highland has formal meetings with the North Highland Women’s Wellness Hub and are in regular contact giving them updates on services and what is available in the Caithness area. We adopt a life course approach as part of the national Women's Health Plan with the aim to deliver a full service at Caithness."

NHWWH and Lyth Arts Centre are running a Women's Wellness Festival at Lyth over the weekend of March 18/19.

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