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Go-ahead for new £12M hospital in Aviemore is welcomed





Councillor Gregor Rimell . . . welcomed announcement
Councillor Gregor Rimell . . . welcomed announcement

The go-ahead for a new £12 million hospital in Aviemore has been welcomed but it has been warned there is a still a long way to go and challenges ahead.

Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison has approved NHS Highlands’ plans for the new hospital at Dalfaber in Aviemore.

The new facilities including A&E, x-ray services, an ambulance base and out of hour GP care centre, could be up and running by the end of 2018.

Grantown’s Ian Charles and Kingussie’s St Vincent’s hospitals will close their doors when the new facility opens.

Transport issues for access to the hospital and care at home remain key issues.

But Badenoch and Strathspey Highland councillor Gregor Rimell (Lib Dem) is confident that solutions will be found and the hospital will be a real asset to everyone in the strath.

He said: "The speed with which NHS Highland project leader Nigel Small has led us through this process is remarkable, a tribute to his leadership and management skills.

"It would not have come about without the teamwork of the community. So many people are playing a constructive part. There are still tasks ahead. It is a marvellous opportunity to look forward.

"We have a transport working group which aims to integrate all forms of public transport and build it around the new hospital. Transport must change to serve all ages and needs in Badenoch and Strathspey. This is a key big community push.

"We have a wonderful community transport company which has earned Big Lottery Funding. But we also have had narrow minded bureaucrats defending their little empires so that we have yet to bring together all forms of transport.

"Subsidising empty double decker busses which do not run at useful times is not helpful.

"We also have a promise to improve care at home and similar services. We will not make best use of the new hospital without proper care when patients are ready to be discharged from hospital.

"Recruiting staff has been difficult in the past. Recruitment will not get better without community involvement to find the right people employed on attractive terms.

"There is lots to do, but let us hope all our communities come together to bring it about"

Mr Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Badenoch, has warmly welcomed the announcement.

He said: "I am delighted that the Cabinet Secretary has so quickly endorsed the excellent work of NHS Highland and their community partners.

"I know the momentum is developing and this speedy sign-off by the Scottish Government can only bring the new hospital development in Aviemore closer still."

An NHS Highland spokeswoman said that a range of services had been agreed at a high level that will be provided both in the new hospital and the community services.

She said: "Now we need to look at the detail – which is mostly about how many and where. To do this there will be a series of workshops with wide range of health and social care staff, ambulance services and others.

"To some extent what goes in the hospital will depend on how much we invest in community services. This will influence, for instance the number of beds and so we will start by defining the community services and then the detail for the hospital.

"We will also need to consider any other services/facilities which might be located on the new site such as car parking, laundry, catering, social enterprise and so on."

NHS Highland is now required to prepare an outline business case and then a full business case.

The spokeswoman said: "This will see more and more detail including costs being defined. It’s a lengthy process and still a huge amount of work to which will require ongoing engagement but getting to this stage has been a culmination of a huge amount of work."

She added: "We know there is a lot of history and we will be doing all we can to be respectful of that and make sure that this all comes together to the greater good of all."

* * *

In her letter to NHS Highland chairman Garry Coutts confirming the go-ahead. Ms Robison said that, in considering the proposals, she had to be convinced that:

• They were in the best interest of patients.

• Key local services would be safeguarded and improved.

• The health board had credible and viable plans for the provision of a new hospital and supporting community services.

• The proposals were consistent with national policy, frameworks and guidance.

Ms Robison added that she was aware that some concerns had been raised about the new hospital in Aviemore, and noted that a working group including all relevant stakeholders had been set up.

She welcomed the board’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company, and asked to be kept informed of the working group’s progress in developing workable transport solutions.

She said these had to be in place in time for the opening of the new hospital.

Ms Robison also said that appropriate step-up/step-down beds in both local communities would have to be provided before the closure of the two existing hospitals.

Step up/step down beds are flexible use of beds – such as at care homes – which can be used to support patients to prevent them being admitted into hospital, for example, to undertake a short-term intensive period of rehab support.

They can also be used as an initial place of discharge after a hospital stay.


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