The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee will conclude its work in March 2026 ahead of the next Scottish Parliament election. While it will continue to meet, the Committee has agreed it will not consider petitions submitted after 10 October. This is to ensure all petitions currently in the system can be considered before the next Scottish Parliament election. It is also unlikely that the Committee would be able to schedule and meaningfully progress petitions submitted after 10 October before the election. Contact the Committee team at petitions.committee@parliament.scot for more information about the petitions process.
If you are seeking emergency action or an urgent policy change please contact one of your 8 MSPs or the Scottish Government directly
Under consideration PE1924: Complete an emergency in-depth review of Women's Health services in Caithness & Sutherland
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to complete an emergency in-depth review of Women's Health services in Caithness & Sutherland. Women's health services are now breaching basic human rights and we fear someone will lose their life due to the lack of gynaecology care.
Previous action taken
Following several digital meetings with Maree Todd MSP (Women's Health Minister) we feel that this vital message is not reaching a wide enough section of Parliament to achieve any real change.
Scotland's Women's Health is bundled into a single job title along with "Sport". As 51% of Scotland's population, we think women deserve more.
Ms Todd also covers Public Health and this is her constituency, yet not enough is being done urgently to highlight this very real risk to lives in the area.
Background information
The Highland gynaecology crisis was happening before Covid, with funding funnelled into Orkney or Inverness. Care should be equal to all women in Scotland and I believe serious conditions (e.g. Endometriosis, Ovarian Cancer) are being missed. GP's are not trained in specific Gynae conditions and pain management is poor. In my view Women are given morphine repeatedly rather than being treated for the condition, creating a drug reliance crisis. Mental health decline is being ignored, women are disbelieved or left in pain. Shockingly, There are no miscarriage/menopause/fertility services.
The A9/A99 are often closed or dangerous to drive, making emergency transport to Raigmore (100+ miles) unreliable, sometimes impossible (e.g. Ectopic pregnancy could be fatal). Ambulance transport to Inverness takes vital units from the area and causes enormous distress to patients.
I understand that many are taking out large loans to cover private Gynae care in the cities and families are moving away for adequate gynaecology services. The economic impact of this is huge for the area.
2,759 signatures
This petition is now under consideration
Click here for further information about the consideration of this petition.