From baby to colleague: Midwife returns to Dr Gray's to work at the hospital where she was born

A newly qualified midwife has landed a job at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin—the maternity unit where she was born—reuniting with the community midwife who cared for her as a baby. Leah Hobson, 21, began her role at Dr Gray's in April and is now working side-by-side with Carol Bennett as Moray's maternity service is rebuilt.

Leah's journey into midwifery began in childhood. She was born at Dr Gray's in 2004, and in her early weeks the unit's community midwife, Carol Bennett, visited her family. Bennett, who is now 62, recalls the naming process during what colleagues called the Pinkie period and says she would bring in ideas as Leah grew up. 'It was lovely, we were involved in trying to find a name for Leah and it took a few weeks,' Bennett said. 'We would come in with suggestions, and we had a really nice relationship.' Leah said she was named at the end of April 2004; 'My mum got in a bit of trouble for it I think because she took so long to decide on a name,' she recalled. 'I had a nickname, Pinkie, she had a whole list of names, and then she eventually picked Leah. I think it was her favourite but she just wasn't sure.' Bennett added: 'Everything was pretty straightforward and standard, the one thing that sticks in your mind is there isn't a name for the baby yet. Our episode of care finished before she was named. We were part of the Pinkie period.' Leah described her path forward: 'I wanted to be a midwife roughly since I was nine, but properly since 11, because my niece was born here when I was nine.' She attended Bishopmill Primary in the town and later Elgin Academy. She started at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen at 17, for a three-year Bachelor of Midwifery degree, and then began work at Dr Gray's in April.

Carol Bennett and Leah's reunion comes as Moray's largest hospital works to restore maternity services after downgrades in 2018 due to staff shortages, which had forced most births to Aberdeen. Earlier this year, planned Caesarean sections took place for the first time in almost seven years at Dr Gray's. The initiative is part of a phased effort to reintroduce a full consultant-led maternity service in Moray, with the aim of completing the rebuild by the end of 2026. NHS Grampian's Jane Gill, programme director for the maternity collaborative, said the final push targets harder-to-fill roles such as consultant anaesthetists, paediatricians and obstetricians. '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,' Gill said.

Leah said she would like to stay in Moray and have her own baby at Dr Gray's one day. 'I would definitely plan to come here, I would not want to have my baby anywhere else. This is where I'm planning on staying, I would not plan on going anywhere else.' Improving local maternity care was a major motivation for joining the team, she added, saying the upgrade would benefit the community.

For the time being, pregnant women requiring the most complex care will continue to be advised to give birth in Aberdeen, as health officials move forward with the phased restoration. Dr Gray's is Moray's largest hospital, and the current work is part of NHS Grampian's broader plan to deliver Moray's most advanced maternity service to date by the end of 2026.