The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) has welcomed a visit by its Patron, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, to the Maternity Unit at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, where she met midwives, maternity teams and families receiving care. 

The visit recognised the vital role midwives play in supporting women, babies and families across the Highlands and provided an opportunity to hear about the breadth of maternity care delivered at Raigmore Hospital, in Inverness, and across the Highlands. 

During her visit, The Princess Royal toured the labour suite, including the hospital’s birthing pool, and visited maternity wards, the Maternity Assessment Unit and Neonatal Unit. 

Representatives from the RCM joined the visit, including RCM President Sophie Russell, RCM 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 mark the occasion, The Princess Royal, who has been Patron of the RCM since 2003, unveiled a commemorative plaque to celebrate the visit and its significance to the maternity team and the communities they serve.