Campaign under way to reverse suspension of Grantown Health Centre phase II
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A campaign to change the ‘disastrous’ decision to halt the completion of Grantown’s refurbished health centre is fully under way after huge local support at a packed public meeting.
Grantown Medical Practice’s GPs and staff were ‘blown away’ by the level of support shown by more than 250 patients and community representatives in the Grant Arms Hotel on March 7.
Practice executive manager Kathy Cockburn said: “We would like to thank each and every one of you.”
The meeting – which brought together medics, politicians, bureaucrats and patients, filling three different rooms at the hotel – rallied to the call of furious Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing who urged them all to write individually to everyone who they thought could force a re-think at Holyrood.
This list of relevant addresses has now been published on line:
Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care: Neil.Gray.msp@parliament.scot
NHS Highland Chief Executive Pamela Dudek: pamela.dudek@nhs.scot
Fergus Ewing: Fergus.Ewing.msp@parliament.scot
Ariane Burgess: Ariane.Burgess.msp@parliament.scot
Rhoda Grant: Rhoda.Grant.msp@parliament.scot
Edward Mountain: Edward.Mountain.msp@parliament.scot
Emma Roddick: Emma.Roddick.msp@parliament.scot
Drew Hendry: https://www.drewhendrymp.scot/constituent-contact-form/
Mr Ewing brought the house down when he confessed: “I think the decision to cancel this project is manifestly flawed. It is completely wrong and absurd to cancel the money for a project so close to completion.”
His colleagues of all political persuasions would agree with him, he said, in wanting to know why a £2.5 million commitment was being pulled after £2 million of funds had already been spent.
Local councillor Muriel Cockburn (SNP), vice-chair of the Highland health, social care and wellbeing committee, agreed.
After leaving the meeting she told the Strathy: “The community in Grantown demonstrated their care and passion for service delivery at Grantown Medical centre.
“It is deeply disappointing that NHS Highland indicated a pause in a project that is 75 per cent completed. To pause a project at this stage will undoubtedly incur costs.
“I hope readjustment of funding will see this project completed. I also hope that the medical centre will continue to deliver the services and care that are needed and appreciated by the community.”
Fellow local councillor Russell Jones (Independent) said: “‘It is hard to see any justification to stop the work so close to completion.
“The contractors are on site, the materials are on site and £500,000 would complete the job and fulfil the promises made to the people of Grantown and surrounding communities when the Badenoch and Strathspey health care redesign was approved in 2015.
“It is estimated that it will cost more than £500,000 to stop the work, make the building safe and usable, clear the contractor’s equipment and materials off site and possibly utilise part of the Ian Charles building in an effort to maintain a reasonable service in Grantown."
Local Scottish Conservative Westminster candidate Kathleen Robertson contended: "The SNP government has failed this community. A broken social promise, broken contracts with a mere £500,000 to finish the project.
"How much money on new national parks was asked tonight? How much on embassies?"
Dr Al Miles, one of the chairs of the meeting, confirmed the delay would mean a round trip of at least 30 miles for some treatments elsewhere, with associated difficulties for the disabled.
He explained: “The 1960s part of the hospital was to be demolished to make way for the extension and that would allow us to accommodate all the services that the community were promised as part of this project would be retained in Grantown.
“Now, as it stands, with the project being paused, we don’t think we can accommodate those services within the footprint of the building that we’re left with.
“We were struggling, bursting at the seams before this project. We don’t have an increase in clinical space with the work that’s been done so far.
“That can affect our ability to train future doctors which can cause problems for the future of our practice here.”
He and his colleagues urged everyone in the community: "Please write to your local MSPs, the Scottish Cabinet secretary for Health and Social Care and the chief executive of NHS Highland.
He advised them: "Be civil and polite. Only ask about the specific topic of the Grantown Medical Practice refurbishment.
"Mention the Badenoch and Strathspey redesign service model project that started in 2015. One aim of this project was to increase capacity within the current health centre building and to ensure that services remained locally provided there.
"The refurbishment is the final part of this project. Ask who was responsible in making the decision to pause the current refurbishment. Ask if this decision was strategically considered, taking into account all the financial information.
"Ask what capital projects NHS Highland are funding in 2024/2025 with their formula capital allocation and why these projects were chosen over completing the refurbishment of our health centre.
"The more personal you can be, the better chances we have they will take on our plea."
