Midwives, families and babies, at the Maternity Unit at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy welcomed a royal visitor.
The Princess Royal attended the unit in her role as Patron of the Royal College of Midwives (RCM). The RCM’s chief executive, Cathy Warwick, RCM president Lesley Page and the RCM director for Scotland, Gillian Smith, along with NHS Fife staff and local dignitaries accompanied her during her visit.
The Princess Royal also met maternity staff and mothers who have given birth in the new facility to hear about their experiences of midwife-led care.
The visit highlighted the work being done by midwives and other members of staff at the unit to enhance women’s pregnancy and birthing experiences.
NHS Fife’s new maternity unit opened in January 2012. It carries on the innovative practices that began at Forth Park Maternity Hospital many years ago and have improved maternity care choices from women in Fife.
The facility offers a midwife-led unit that runs alongside the consultant-led unit. A total of 1,700 babies born from low-risk pregnancies, without medical complications, are born at the midwife-led unit each year. There were 3,631 births at the unit in 2012 and feedback from mothers and their families about the unit has been very positive.
Midwifery nurse manager Cath Cummings said: “This is our opportunity to showcase our wonderful facilities in Fife for women and their families.”
NHS Fife chief executive John Wilson said: “I am delighted that HRH the Princess Royal is honouring NHS Fife with a visit to the maternity services based at Victoria Hospital.
“It is appropriate that Princess Anne visits NHS Fife, as she performed the official opening of Queen Margaret Hospital in 1993 and her Great Aunt, Princess Mary, the previous Princess Royal, opened the original Victoria Hospital on its current site in 1965.”
After Kirkcaldy, the Princess Royal visited Dunfermline. Invited to the abbey as patron of the Scottish Churches Trust, she spoke to the group’s bi-annual meeting on the role Scottish Churches Trust plays in preserving and accessing ecclesiastical heritage.
Later in the afternoon, she helped mark the centenary of the Carnegie UK Trust. During her visit, she planted a tree in Pittencrieff Park to celebrate 100 years of the trust. The park was purchased in 1902 by Andrew Carnegie and gifted to the people of Dunfermline in a ceremony the following year. The park is now the location of the Carnegie UK Trust’s headquarters.
The Princess Royal’s visit to Dunfermline comes as the Carnegie UK Trust commemorates its centenary with a year-long celebration of events. This month it was revealed the trust would be bringing an Andy Warhol exhibition to the Scottish Parliament in October as part of a week-long festival about Andrew Carnegie’s legacy.
The Carnegie UK Trust has been a pioneer in the world of philanthropy from developing the first professional course for social work, supporting and building public libraries, to providing funding for the first colleges of adult education. Angus Hogg, chairman of the Carnegie UK Trust said: “This year marks a particularly special milestone for the trust and we are honoured that HRH Princess Anne could join us as part of our celebrations.”
The trust has also just launched a book detailing its work over the last 100 years, called Pioneering Philanthropy. The Princess Royal was presented with a copy during her visit.
She was also given a preview of a short film about the trust that will be revealed during the celebratory week in October. The film outlines more of the trust’s successes and key projects since 1913.
While in Dunfermline, the Princess Royal also attended a joint lunch reception with the Scottish Churches Trust and Carnegie UK Trust.
Photo by David Wardle