Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the Maternity Unit at Raigmore Hospital yesterday in her capacity as Patron of The Royal College of Midwives, where she toured the facility and met with midwifery staff, maternity teams, and a new mother and baby.
During the visit, The Princess Royal saw the hospital's labour suite including the birthing pool, which provides expectant mothers across the Highlands with the option of a water birth. The tour also included wards, as well as the Maternity Assessment and Neonatal Units, giving Her Royal Highness insight into the full range of maternity services provided at the hospital.
The Princess Royal met with midwives, maternity team staff, and representatives from community organisations, including Highland Maternity Voice Partnership and Held in Our Hearts, who work collaboratively with NHS Highland to ensure women's voices shape services and families receive support through all experiences.
Fiona Davies, Chief Executive of NHS Highland, said: "We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to Raigmore Hospital today. Her visit recognises the extraordinary commitment, passion and dedication of our midwifery and maternity staff who, day in and day out, provide compassionate, skilled care to mothers, babies and families across the Highlands. Their work is at the very heart of our communities, and the Royal visit highlights the vital importance of maternity services in remote and rural Scotland."
Sarah Compton-Bishop, Chair of NHS Highland, welcomed The Princess Royal along with Louise Bussell, Executive Nurse Director, Katherine Sutton, Chief Officer Acute Services and senior members of the maternity team including Isla Barton, Director of Midwifery, Dr Darren Thomas, Clinical Director for Obstetrics, and Heather Richardson, Head of Operations, Women and Children’s Services.
The Princess Royal also met with representatives from The Royal College of Midwives, including President, Sophie Russell; Country Director for Scotland Jaki Lambert; and Chief Membership Officer and Deputy General Secretary, Robbie Turner.
Jaki Lambert, Director for Scotland at the Royal College of Midwives, said: “Midwives working across the Highlands deliver outstanding care for women and families every day, often in circumstances that are very different from those faced elsewhere in the UK. Covering large rural and remote areas requires skill, flexibility and dedication, and it was fantastic to see that recognised during The Princess Royal's visit to Raigmore Hospital.
"As Patron of the RCM, The Princess Royal has long championed the midwifery profession and understands the vital role midwives play in supporting women, babies and families. This visit was a welcome opportunity to shine a light on the expertise and commitment of the maternity teams serving communities across the Highlands."
To commemorate the visit, Her Royal Highness unveiled a plaque that will serve as a lasting reminder of her visit and the significance it holds for the maternity team and the communities they serve. The Princess Royal was presented with a posy by five-year-old Isabelle Henderson.
Find out more about maternity services at Raigmore Hospital.