The team needed to deliver a full, modern maternity service in Moray is rapidly taking shape with nearly 80% of key posts now filled and new staff already in place at Dr Gray’s Hospital.
The figures were revealed following a visit by Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, who toured the maternity ward at Dr Gray’s to see the transformation first-hand.
This milestone reflects the pace and ambition behind the dedicated ‘Wish You Worked Here’ campaign, backed by over £6million in additional funding from the Scottish Government, which has brought dozens of new professionals to Elgin over the past year.
Since the campaign launched in 2023, 68 roles have been filled, including:
- 36 midwife, nursing staff and allied health professionals, strengthening 24/7 cover and expanding specialist care in areas like theatre, sonography, diabetes, perinatal mental health, and early pregnancy loss.
- 10 medical staff, including 2 consultant obstetricians, 5 specialty doctors in anaesthetics (with active plans for more), and clinical fellows supporting maternity and neonatal care.
- Additional healthcare support workers and project staff.
Jacqui Keddie, Midwifery Lead for Moray, said: “This now represents the largest and most skilled maternity team Moray has ever had, providing greater continuity and care close to home.
“Their arrival is already transforming maternity care and turning long-standing plans into day-to-day reality.
“Every appointment is a step forward for families in Moray. This isn’t about preparing for change, it’s about living it. We’re already delivering new care, with new people, and we’re not slowing down.”
Specialist midwives in Moray are now supporting women through complex pregnancies, postnatal mental health, early loss, and planned procedures. Planned caesarean sections resumed in April, months ahead of schedule, thanks to the expanding on-site team.
The latest phase of the dedicated, national recruitment campaign, launched in March, has exceeded expectations, generating nearly 900 new expressions of interest in just 6 weeks - taking the overall total to more than 1,800. One recent medical post received almost 600 applications in just four days, underlining the extraordinary level of interest.
Our four consultant obstetricians are well-supported by our anaesthetic department, which includes four existing consultant anaesthetists with a specialty interest in obstetric anaesthesia who have diligently familiarized themselves with our maternity service, AMH obstetric protocols, and local community needs. We're also thrilled to welcome a new anaesthetic consultant who specializes in obstetric anaesthesia, further strengthening our team:
Behind this success is a determined, high-impact innovative campaign. A dedicated Moray team has travelled thousands of miles, attending national clinical events across the UK to engage directly with potential applicants. Virtual reality experiences, locally produced films, and targeted materials have brought the Moray experience vividly to life.
Jane Gill, project director for The Maternity Collaborative, said: “We’ve now had over 1,800 people get in touch to explore working here. Not every enquiry is maternity-related, but everyone demonstrates that Dr Gray’s is being seen as a hospital with momentum and a promising future. Each enquiry holds the potential to add a new skill or specialist to our team, directly improving patient care.”
Jane added: “Our commitment is to deliver the most advanced, consultant-led maternity service Moray has ever had by the end of 2026. The final push now targets harder-to-fill roles such as consultant anaesthetists, paediatricians, and obstetricians.
“This is a phased return, not a switch we flip in 2026. We’re actively rebuilding our services one post at a time. If opportunities arise to reintroduce services earlier, we will seize them.”
Further recruitment activity is planned throughout the summer, with more national events and a showcase open day at Dr Gray’s being considered for autumn.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We have committed over £6 million to enhance maternity services in the North of Scotland and I’m pleased to see NHS Grampian’s extensive recruitment efforts paying off as they make vital progress on the delivery of consultant-led maternity services at Dr Gray’s.
“Safe maternity care, as close to home as practicable, is vital and the project team here at Dr Gray's are continuing to make positive steps at pace. With the reintroduction of obstetric services and the recent provision of elective caesarean births at the hospital, they remain on track to provide full obstetric births in 2026.
“This work has already resulted in significantly less journeys to Aberdeen and is making a big difference to women of Moray.”
The campaign’s media agency, known for work with major consumer and entertainment brands, has described its performance as “exceptional,” achieving click-through rates up to three times the UK average and over 11 million views across platforms including Sky, Meta, LinkedIn, Google, and The Guardian.
To learn more or explore roles in Moray, visit www.wishyouworkedhere.scot