Implementing A Framework for Maternity ... - Scottish Government

Remote and rural issues
20. Remote and rural areas of Scotland present particular challenges for the provision of
maternity care and need innovative ways of accommodating and supporting pregnant
women in remote and rural parts of the country before, during and after childbirth.
Innovative solutions to local problems may require professionals to develop a different
range of skills and devise different arrangements and patterns of provision.
Principles
3.14 Maternity courses should be set up for midwives, obstetricians, GPs, paramedics and
other health professionals working in remote and rural areas. This will help to ensure
that these professionals receive the appropriate education and support to equip
them to make decisions about care and know when to refer to specialist maternity
care professionals.
3.15 GPs in rural and remote areas must be trained and competent to care effectively for
pregnant women and their babies. Most GPs in remote settings will be involved
(directly or indirectly) in the delivery of maternity care, especially in cases where the
mother has an illness which may require GP input.
3.16 Other health professionals’ role and competencies should be reviewed in relation to
delivering a safe and effective maternity service in remote and rural areas.
21. New arrangements for considering workforce development alongside service planning will be
overseen by a national Maternity Services Workforce Group, which will promote a skills and
competency driven team-based approach. Multi-disciplinary training and development will
be a feature and special consideration will be given to the issues in remote and rural areas.
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