Mothers in the Far North are ‘terrified’ of traveling to Inverness, according to the human rights report

Mothers in Caithness and Sutherland feel ‘unsafe’ and ‘terrified’ about traveling to Inverness to give birth, a major human rights report has found.

The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) research shows that some are choosing not to have more children, or are leaving the area to avoid giving birth in Raigmore.

It also noted that some women may have lost their fertility due to delays in reaching hospital in Inverness in emergencies.

Centralization has meant that more than 14,000 patients from Caithness and Sutherland now have to travel to the Highland capital each year for various aspects of care.

Jamie Stone, the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, described the findings as “a terrifying and shameful revelation” of the Scottish Government’s “neglect” of the Far North and “a truly damning indictment of their incompetence” .

The report – titled Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands, which runs to more than 130 pages – says many people in the region are expressing frustration about their human rights.

“Critical issues include the apparent failure to meet the most basic international obligations regarding the right to health, the right to housing and the right to food,” SHRC said.

The committee 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 care.

Among its eight recommendations, the report says that “policies must be adaptable to the specific needs of remote and rural areas” and calls for “parliamentary scrutiny to ensure that laws and policies take into account the needs of the Highlands and islands”.

Dr. Luis F. Yanes, project leader and author of the report, said: “Economic, social and cultural rights are essential for people to live a life of dignity, free from fear and want.

“Many people in the Highlands and Islands feel unheard, disenfranchised, abandoned and forgotten, with their human rights concerns pushed aside or minimized.

“This report amplifies the voices of those living in the Highlands and Islands, and shows that urgent action is needed to realize these human rights for many people in the region.”

Speaking on behalf of the Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), the group’s vice-chair, Iain Gregory, said: “We are very pleased to see the publication of this report, which greatly strengthens CHAT’s arguments regarding maternity and other healthcare services. , in Caithness.

“Maria Aitken (CHAT Secretary) and I recently met Dr. Yanes meets and will do so again soon. It is significant to note that he has used the words ‘disenfranchised, abandoned and forgotten’ – terms used extensively by both CHAT and Caithness Roads Recovery.

“We now hope that, with the support of this ground-breaking 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 very pleased with the report and believe it is fair and balanced. It confirms what we have been saying for years.

“It’s great that the Highlands are being given a voice and we now hope for actionable changes to correct human rights abuses. We will continue to work with the NHS to improve things, but the government must go further.”

Rhoda Grant, Labor MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “I would like to thank the Scottish Human Rights Commission for its work on this project and for meeting with me to hear constituents’ concerns.

“While this is deeply disturbing reading, it further confirms what organisations, charities and individuals have been saying for decades: that basic human rights obligations are not being met.

“This SNP government is aware of these problems but has taken no action to address them. I will urge the Scottish Government to take action and implement the recommendations of this report.”

Meanwhile, Jamie Stone has requested a meeting with Scotland’s Minister for Health and Women’s Health, Jenni Minto.

The MP said: “I have spent my political career campaigning tirelessly for better healthcare in the Highlands – especially in relation 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.

“Look where it got them – to a terrifying and shameful revelation of their neglect of the Far North. It is a truly damning indictment of their incompetence, which speaks to the damage they have caused by their pursuit of independence.

“The report reflected many of the concerns I have repeatedly brought to their attention. One can only hope that the SNP will finally put aside their partisan arrogance and listen to the experts.

“I am disgusted and disappointed with their record. I don’t want to hear them pleading ignorance about the inadequacy of healthcare in the Highlands.

“It is ridiculous to think that they believe they can adequately govern an independent Scotland, when they cannot even meet the minimum core obligations of so many of their citizens.

“I look forward to seeing how they will answer for themselves in light of the SHRC’s findings.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We recognize the rights to food, housing and healthcare and that is why we have taken action to promote human rights in practice now, and to prepare the public sector for new duties in the future with regarding human rights. 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, based on human rights, to address this. We are taking nine actions to improve access to food, taking a cash-first approach so that fewer people need to rely on food parcels.

“Scotland has the strongest protections for people experiencing homelessness among the UK, and local authorities have a legal duty to provide shelter for anyone experiencing homelessness.

“From April 2016 to March 2023, the Scottish Government has supported the delivery of more than 10,000 affordable homes in rural Scotland. Our commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, of which at least 70 percent will be for social rent and 10 percent for our rural and island communities, is supported by our Rural and Island Housing Action Plan.

“We have established a National Center for Remote and Rural Health and Care to support health and social care providers in establishing long-term sustainable healthcare in rural and island areas. The aim of the Center is to help reduce inequalities in health and wellbeing at remote, rural and island levels through targeted work to improve the sustainability, capacity and capabilities of remote, rural and island primary care and community workforces and the services.”

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