Statistics released today showed that there have been more than 25,000 adverse incidents recorded in Scotland’s maternity wards since 2011, resulting in the deaths of 26 newborns, three mothers and 79 stillbirths.
It comes on the back of the news that there have been six ‘unnecessary’ deaths of babies at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock since 2008.
It led Ms Robison to call for a review from internal body, Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).
However in his letter to the health secretary, Donald Cameron said that a previous investigation by HIS ordered by Nicola Sturgeon in 2012 has been largely ignored as many of the problems highlighted were clearly still prevalent.
As such he called on her to heed calls for urgent measures to restore public confidence in the provision of maternity services across the NHS.
In his letter, Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Donald Cameron wrote:
“These statistics give us a deeply worrying insight into the state of maternity hospitals in Scotland.
“Each year thousands of adverse incidents are being recorded, and the very worst of them are resulting in the tragic deaths of infants or their mothers.
“One avoidable death is one too many, and it is vital that we do everything in our power to ensure that we learn from these errors so they never occur again.
“That is why the cases being highlighted in NHS Ayrshire & Arran are of such concern.
“Nicola Sturgeon as health secretary ordered an HIS investigation in 2012, but the recommendations that were made have largely been ignored.
“This has resulted in yet more heartbreak and sadness for families who have lost their children, and it’s understandable that they want answers.
“As health secretary, I am asking you to explain why you believe requesting another report from HIS will make any difference considering the limited impact of the last report?
“As you have admitted that responsibility for these problems ultimately lies with you, I hope you will listen to patients across Scotland who are seeking urgent and sweeping changes to reassure them that they will receive the best possible standard of care in our maternity wards.”