Human rights report says far north mums are ‘terrified’ about journeys to Inverness
Mums in Caithness and Sutherland feel “unsafe” and “terrified” about travelling to Inverness to give birth, a major report into human rights has revealed.
The study by the Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) found that some are choosing not to have more children, or are moving out of the area to avoid giving birth at Raigmore.
It also noted that some women are said to have lost their fertility due to delays in getting to hospital in Inverness in emergencies.
Centralisation has meant that more than 14,000 patients a year from Caithness and Sutherland now have to travel to the Highland capital for different aspects of care.
Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, described the findings as “a terrifying and shameful disclosure” of the Scottish Government’s “neglect” of the far north and “a truly damning indictment of their incompetence”.
The report – entitled Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands, and running to more than 130 pages – says many people in the region are expressing frustration about their human rights.
“Critical issues include an apparent failure to meet the most basic international obligations related to the right to health, the right to housing and the right to food,” according to SHRC.
The commission visited 20 communities and interviewed 146 people. It looked at issues ranging from food affordability and lack of public transport to social care and education, as well as sexual and reproductive health services.
Among its eight recommendations, the report says “policies should be adaptable to the specific needs of remote and rural areas” and calls for “parliamentary scrutiny to ensure laws and policies take into account the needs of the Highlands and Islands”.
Dr Luis F Yanes, project lead and report author, said: “Economic, social and cultural rights are essential for people living a dignified life, free from fear and want.
“Many people in the Highlands and Islands feel unheard, disenfranchised, abandoned and forgotten, with their human rights concerns discarded or minimised.
“This report enhances the voices of those living in the Highlands and Islands, demonstrating that urgent action is needed to realise these human rights for many people across the region.”
Speaking on behalf of Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), the group’s vice-chairman Iain Gregory said: “We very much welcome the publication of this report, which strongly reinforces the arguments put forward by CHAT in relation to maternity, and other health services, in Caithness.
“Maria Aitken [CHAT secretary] and I recently met with Dr Yanes and will be doing so again shortly. It is significant to note that he has used the words ‘disenfranchised, abandoned and forgotten’ – terms used frequently by both CHAT and Caithness Roads Recovery.
“We hope now that, with the support of this landmark report, we can look forward to urgent action being taken to ensure that the human rights of mothers, babies and indeed all residents of Caithness are respected and supported.”
Campaign group North Highland Women’s Wellbeing Hub said: “We are delighted with the report and feel it is fair and balanced. It reinforces what we have been saying for years.
“It’s great for the Highlands to be given a voice and we are hoping for actionable change now to correct human rights breaches. We will continue to work with the NHS to improve things but the government needs to step up.”
Rhoda Grant, Labour MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “I want to thank the Scottish Human Rights Commission for its work on this project and for meeting me to hear concerns expressed by constituents.
“While this is a deeply concerning read, it further confirms what organisations, charities and individuals have been saying for decades – that basic, core human rights obligations are not being met.
“This SNP government is aware of these issues but has not acted to deal with them. I will be pressing the Scottish Government to step up and act on the recommendations of this report.”
Meanwhile, Jamie Stone has requested a meeting with Scotland’s minister for public health and women’s health, Jenni Minto.
The MP said: “I have spent my political career tirelessly campaigning for better health services in the Highlands – particularly with regard to the dangerous state of maternity care in Caithness.
“Yet the SNP in Holyrood has chosen time and time again to turn a blind eye to the needs of my constituents.
“Well, look where it has brought them – to a terrifying and shameful disclosure of their neglect of the far north. It is a truly damning indictment of their incompetence, which speaks of the harm they’ve caused by their pursuit of independence.
“The report echoed many of the concerns I’ve repeatedly brought to their attention. One can only hope that the SNP will finally put their partisan arrogance aside and listen to the experts.
“I’m disgusted and disappointed at their track record. I will not hear them plead ignorance to the inadequacy of Highland healthcare.
“To think that they believe they could sufficiently govern an independent Scotland is ludicrous, when they can't even reach the minimum core obligations of so many of their citizens.
“I look forward to seeing how they answer for themselves in light of the SHRC’s findings.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We recognise the rights to food, housing and health and that is why we have taken action to advance human rights in practice now, as well as to prepare the public sector for new duties in the future in relation to the rights highlighted in the report.
“We believe that no-one should have to compromise on food or other essentials and have published a plan, grounded in human rights, to tackle this. We are taking forward nine actions to improve access to food, using a cash-first approach so that fewer people need to turn to food parcels.
“Scotland has the strongest protections across the UK nations for people experiencing homelessness and local authorities have a legal duty to provide accommodation for anyone facing homelessness.
“From April 2016 to March 2023, the Scottish Government has supported the delivery of more than 10,000 affordable homes across rural Scotland. Our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, of which at least 70 per cent will be for social rent and 10 per cent in our rural and island communities, is backed up by our Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan.
“We have established a National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care to support health and social care providers to establish long-term sustainable healthcare in rural and island areas. The aim of the centre is to help reduce remote, rural and island health and wellbeing inequalities through focused work on improving sustainability, capacity and capability of remote, rural and island primary care and community-based workforce and service delivery.”
