WATCH: Delight as Grantown Health Centre campaign secures funding to complete transformation
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Work will continue after all at Grantown’s Health Centre following a major community campaign to reverse Holyrood’s suspension of the badly needed project.
Confirmation was given this afternoon that the Health Secretary Neil Gray would ensure that the remainder of the project to modernise the practice would be completed.
Fergus Ewing MSP for Inverness and Nairn, alongside fellow Highland and Island MSPs Edward Mountain MSP and Rhoda Grant MSP , announce the successful outcome of the campaign to reinstate capital funding for the completion of Grantown Health Centre.
The project is expected to cost £400,000 to £500,000 and the basis of the campaign was that it would be a false economy to shelve phase two of the work
Following extensive collaborative efforts between local MSPs, medical professionals and the community, Mr Gray has committed to funding the remaining contract ensuring the project's completion.
The campaign, which saw bipartisan cooperation between regional MSPs from different political parties, alongside local general practitioners and NHS Highlands officials, garnered significant public support and highlighted the critical importance of the health centre to the local community.
"After the MSPs and GPs meeting with the Health Secretary on Wednesday 27th March, Neil Gray undertook to consider our case swiftly," stated Fergus Ewing MSP.
"Late last week, he confirmed to me, Edward Mountain, and Rhoda Grant that he was going to fund the remainder of the contract, and therefore it can now proceed after all to completion."
Acknowledging the urgency of the situation, Ewing emphasised, "It has been made very clear to him by the NHS Estates team that there was only a short time window to restore funding before the contractors Morrisons would have to leave for other contracts."
Ewing expressed gratitude to all parties involved in the campaign, including the dedicated efforts of the local GPs and staff, supportive NHS Highland managers, and most importantly, the community members who voiced their concerns and rallied behind the cause.
"My thanks go to all those involved in the campaign, including the GPs and staff, the NHS Highland managers who were extremely helpful, and above all to the public who turned up at the meeting on 7th March and then wrote to the Scottish Government and MSPs in order to demonstrate the strength of feeling locally," Ewing remarked.
Highlighting the significance of bipartisan collaboration, Ewing concluded, "Finally, it does perhaps show that politicians working together can sometimes be more effective in securing results and doing so using the facts and strong arguments can prevail."
The restoration of funding for Grantown Health Centre marks a significant victory for the local community and underscores the power of collective action in advocating for essential services.
More on this story in the next Strathy.
