Caithness campaigners welcome UN report on maternity services
A campaign group for improved access to maternity support in Caithness has welcomed UN recommendations on health services in rural areas. The community-led Caithness Health Action Team (Chat) has been leading calls for the restoration of a consultant-led maternity service in Wick.A report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has raised concerns about "high rates of maternal mortality" and "disparities in access to sexual and reproductive health services" affecting women and girls in remote areas.NHS Highland said it provided as many gynaecology and maternity procedures as it could in Caithness General Hospital.
The Geneva-based UN committee has been examining a number of issues related to human rights across the United Kingdom.In a section on sexual and reproductive health rights, the committee said women and girls in "peripheral and remote areas" were adversely affected by maternal mortality and disparities in access to sexual and reproductive services and information.It recommended that the governments of the UK "increase efforts to ensure equal access to maternal health services" for migrant women and women from ethnic minority groups. It also recommended that facilities be properly equipped for antenatal, perinatal and postnatal care, "particularly in rural areas". The report went on to say that the availability of sexual and reproductive services should be strengthened, particularly for women and girls in rural and remote areas.
'Extra support'
Chat has been campaigning for consultant-led maternity support to return to Wick.The service was replaced by a midwife-led unit in 2016 because of safety concerns. People in the north Highlands can face round trips of 210 miles (338km) or more to give birth in Inverness.Chat campaigner Iain Gregory said the UN report provided "a huge amount of extra support" and he hoped the intervention would bring changes to the current arrangement.He said the UN committee considered written submissions by Chat in the process of writing the report.A spokesperson for NHS Highland said it provided as many gynaecology and maternity procedures as it could in Caithness General Hospital.The health board added that it had increased the midwifery team in Wick, with high risk or complex cases continuing to be referred to Inverness.The Scottish government said it was considering the recommendations of the report carefully.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Every newborn baby in the UK will have DNA screening in NHS 'revolution' to battle killer diseases, Wes Streeting reveals
Every newborn baby in the UK will have a DNA screening as part of an NHS 'revolution' to battle killer diseases. The health secretary Wes Streeting said new technology in areas such as genomics would help 'leapfrog' illnesses. The Government is set to pour £650 million into DNA technology in an effort to treat serious illnesses before they become a problem. The investment in genomics is expected to support the Government's 10-year plan for the NHS, which will see a greater focus on technology and prevention. Mr Streeting told The Telegraph: 'The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill health to one that predicts and prevents it. 'Genomics presents us with the opportunity to leapfrog disease, so we're in front of it rather than reacting to it.' Mr Streeting has previously spoken about his desire to make the NHS more preventative, reducing rates of serious illness and saving money in the process. The plan is also likely to see a greater role for artificial intelligence and other technologies to predict illness and allow treatment or medication to be offered much earlier. Mr Streeting has previously spoken about his desire to make the NHS more preventative, reducing rates of serious illness and saving money in the process. The plan is also likely to see a greater role for artificial intelligence and other technologies to predict illness and allow treatment or medication to be offered much earlier. He added: 'With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives.' Along with a greater focus on prevention, the Government's 10-year plan is expected to include Mr Streeting's two other 'shifts' in the NHS. That will see a shift away from hospitals towards more community-focused care, and from analogue to digital services. It follows Chancellor Rachel Reeves' announcement that the Government would increase NHS funding by £29 billion per year in real terms over the next three years as it tries to cut waiting lists in line with its election promises.
The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Weight loss jab could be used to treat migraines
Weight loss jabs could cut the number of migraines sufferers experience by half, research suggests. The drugs, similar to Ozempic and Wegovy, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion. Researchers have discovered, GLP-1 drug liraglutide, commonly used to treat diabetes, has the potential to significantly reduce migraine frequency. Migraines affect approximately 6 million people in the UK, according to the NHS. Attacks can last for three days causing pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and sensitivity to light, sound and smells. Researchers at the Headache Centre of the University of Naples gave 26 adults with obesity and chronic migraines the drug liraglutide. The study presented at the European Academy of Neurology (EAN) Congress 2025, found those who had the drug reported an average of 11 fewer headache days per month. Participants also experienced meaningful improvements in quality of life, work, study, and social functioning within just two weeks of taking the drug. 'Most patients felt better within the first two weeks and reported quality of life improved significantly', said lead researcher Dr Simone Braca. 'The benefit lasted for the full three-month observation period, even though weight loss was modest and statistically non-significant.' Growing evidence has linked subtle increases in intracranial pressure to migraine attacks. It's caused by a rise in the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid – which surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This increase in pressure can happen because of a severe head injury, stroke, a brain tumour or high blood pressure. But GLP-1-receptor agonists such as liraglutide reduce cerebrospinal fluid secretion and have already proved effective in treating idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Patients in the study were screened to exclude papilledema (optic disc swelling resulting from increased intracranial pressure) and sixth nerve palsy, ruling out IIH. Dr Braca and colleagues believe GLP-1 drugs may reduce the release of CGRP (calcitonin gene-related peptide), a key molecule behind migraines. 'We think that, by modulating cerebrospinal fluid pressure and reducing intracranial venous sinuses compression, these drugs produce a decrease in the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), a key migraine-promoting peptide', Dr Braca said. 'That would pose intracranial pressure control as a brand-new, pharmacologically targetable pathway.' Given liraglutide's established use in type 2 diabetes and obesity, it may represent a promising case of drug repurposing in neurology, study authors said.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
All babies in England to get DNA test to assess risk of diseases within 10 years
Every baby in England is to have a DNA screening to avoid fatal diseases and receive personalised healthcare as part of the government's £650m investment in DNA technology, it has been reported. Within a decade, every newborn will undergo whole genome sequencing, which assesses the risk of hundreds of diseases and is expected to form part of the government's 10-year plan for the health service. Wes Streeting, the health secretary, told the Telegraph the advances in genomics would allow people to 'leapfrog' killer illnesses and receive 'personalised' health care. He said: 'The revolution in medical science means that we can transform the NHS over the coming decade, from a service which diagnoses and treats ill health to one that predicts and prevents it. 'Genomics presents us with the opportunity to leapfrog disease, so we're in front of it rather than reacting to it.' Streeting added: 'With the power of this new technology, patients will be able to receive personalised healthcare to prevent ill health before symptoms begin, reducing the pressure on NHS services and helping people live longer, healthier lives.' All new parents are now offered a blood spot test for their babies, normally when the child is five days old, to check whether they have any of nine rare but serious conditions. The newborn's heel is pricked to collect a few drops of blood on a card that is sent away to be tested. Along with a greater focus on prevention, the 10-year plan is expected to include Streeting's other 'shifts' in the NHS, from hospitals towards more community-focused care and from analogue to digital services. Last week the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced that the government would increase NHS funding by £29bn a year in real terms over the next three years. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Our 10-year health plan will be published soon and will set out details for a range of initiatives to advance the NHS and make it fit for the future.' In October, the NHS in England announced it was to screen 100,000 newborn babies for more than 200 genetic conditions in a world-first scheme aimed at bolstering early diagnosis and treatment.
