Maternity unit opens but not to the public

Stirling Royal Infirmary’s new maternity unit was officially opened in early October 1969 – even though it was not ready for use.

Performing the ceremony, Viscountess Younger of Leckie expressed the hope ‘trade’ would be good and “many sons and daughters of the ‘Rock’ would emerge to the credit of their birthplace”.

An open day was arranged, giving the public the chance to inspect the new unit which comprised 81 beds and 20 special care cots .

However, Mr John Carruthers, chairman of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire board of hospital management, explained “because of other commitments the unit was not complete in detail”.

It was the board’s intention that by the end of the month it would be finished and ready to replace the existing maternity unit at Airthrey Castle.

The Observer said: ‘While many people regretted the loss of Airthrey Castle, the advantage of having all maternity services concentrated in one place, where all modern facilities were available, was quite obvious.’

Chairman of the Western Regional

Hospital Board Mr Simpson Stevenson said the opening of the maternity unit was a step along the road to providing Stirling with a modern hospital complex.

In the preceding six years, £1.25m had been spent on hospital development in Stirling and further improvements were planned, including new accident and emergency and geriatric departments. It was hoped within the next financial year to start a new medical block costing £100,000.

Mr Stevenson also said 10 years ago, 40 per cent of maternity confinements took place in the home. Latest figures for Stirling showed 86 per cent of confinements were in hospital.

Lady Younger was presented with a bouquet by nurse Fiona Eaton, a student midwife.

The unit continued to operate until July 2011, when maternity services switched to the new 860-bed Forth Valley Royal Hospital at Larbert, which had just been completed.