Scotland’s Public and Women’s Health minister insists she wants mums to feel “they are having good care as close to home as possible”.
Maree Todd visited Stranraer on Monday to meet Galloway Community Hospital Action Group which is pushing for maternity services to be restored in the west of the region.
Local politicians also met Ms Todd to lobby for the Clenoch Birth Centre at the Stranraer hospital to be reopened after it closed in 2018 due to a staffing shortage.
Over the past four years, women have had to travel to Dumfries to give birth, leading to incidences of mums delivering their new babies in laybys.
After the meeting, Ms Todd said: “What I want is for women and their families to have choices about where they give birth and I want them to feel supported in making those decisions and I want them to feel like they are having good care as close to home as possible.”
Galloway MSP, Finlay Carson, was one of those who attended the meeting and asked for a firm commitment for the hospital to provide maternity services again.
He said: “This is clearly an option that mothers-to-be should be offered instead of facing the daunting prospect of a 75-mile journey from Stranraer to Dumfries.
“At the meeting the minister re-iterated that all health services – not just maternity - should be provided as close to home as possible which is encouraging. This is also something that the Scottish Health Secretary confirmed last week during a debate on maternity services in Moray.”
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth called for “action and not just warm words”.
He said: “There needs to be a very clear commitment that the aim from both the health board and the Scottish Government is to re-open the Clenoch Birthing Centre at the Galloway Hospital and a concerted effort made to recruit the midwifes to ensure that can happen.
“There are community maternity units across the country in areas similar in size and population to Wigtownshire and there is no reason why our area should be treated differently.
“It is utterly unacceptable that women in Wigtownshire face the real fear of having to give birth in a lay-by en route to hospital in Dumfries, which is two hours away, because the community maternity unit on their doorstep is closed.”
During her visit, Ms Todd also met with regional health board officials.
“We are aware that Dumfries and Galloway Integration Joint Board will be discussing a review of the midwifery service in the west of the region at its next meeting.”
