Sustainable Maternity Service Provision in Remote and Rural Areas of Scotland: The scoping of core multidisciplinary skills and exploration of best practice in the development and maintenance of skills - Executive Summary

Citation

Kiger A, Tucker J, Bryers H, Caldow J, Farmer J, Hundley V, van Teijlingen E, Harris FM & Ireland J (2003) Sustainable Maternity Service Provision in Remote and Rural Areas of Scotland: The scoping of core multidisciplinary skills and exploration of best practice in the development and maintenance of skills - Executive Summary. NHS Education for Scotland. University of Aberdeen / NHS Scotland. http://www.abdn.ac.uk/dugaldbairdcentre/projects/SMSP_Exec_Summ_Final.pdf

Abstract
First paragraph: Health care provision in remote and rural areas of Scotland is a current cause for concern. With respect to maternity services, there are particular issues around falling fertility rates and medical workforce capacity, accompanied by a policy climate that is encouraging further centralisation of acute services. There are important implications for the sustainability of safe, local maternity care if the reduction in geographical access to acute consultant-led obstetric and neonatal services continues.