Overnight children's care returns to Moray hospital

The children's ward at Dr Gray's was downgraded in 2019

Children can now be treated overnight in Moray six years after the children's ward in Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin was downgraded.

NHS Grampian said the service had been reinstated following a successful campaign encouraging people to move to the region.

The health board said work was ongoing to return a full consultant-led maternity service to the hospital next year.

The children's ward was downgraded due to staffing pressures, meaning patients had to travel to Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital (RACH) for care overnight.

Dr Morag Turnbull, clinical lead for paediatrics at Dr Gray's, said the move would reduce travel stress for families.

Aberdeen is more than 60 miles (97km) by road from Elgin.

Dr Turnball said: "Anybody that's driven the A96 in winter knows that is not necessarily an easy task for families.

"Being able to provide overnight care means that we can admit children here for observation where previously we were sometimes having to transfer children to Aberdeen when we knew they would likely go home the next day."

Dr Turnbull told BBC Scotland News the extension of the service would allow the site to support an under pressure health service.

She said: "We want to continue to grow the service.

"We're working very closely with our colleagues in RACH to work out what services that we can offer here in Elgin, perhaps things that are under stress in Aberdeen."