Aberdeen’s oldest hospital should be turned into flats for medics to ease the affordable homes crisis facing NHS workers, it has been claimed.
The Grade 1 listed Woolmanhill Hospital in Skene Street is due to go on the market by the end of the year, with its sale anticipated to raise millions of pounds for NHS Grampian.
But Dr Izhar Khan, a renal consultant at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, said the board should sell off no more of its property portfolio while the city is struggling to attract doctors and nurses, partly due to the high-cost of accommodation.
Dr Khan, chairman of the area medical committee at NHS Grampian, said: “Woolmanhill is like a jewel in the crown. It is Aberdeen’s first infirmary and like a historic monument.
“NHS Grampian real estate such as Woolmanhill should not be sold to property developers but converted into subsidised accommodation for NHS nursing and other staff.
“Woolmanhill could be converted into fantastic small flats for medical professionals.
“People don’t come from Aberdeen as they can’t afford accommodation
“We must think imaginatively when it comes to dealing with our problems.”
Dr Khan raised the issue with Paul Gray, chief executive of NHS Scotland, during his visit to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last week.
Mr Gray has said he is open to all suggestions about how to improve services at NHS Grampian.
Affordable housing in Aberdeen is due to be boosted with the conversion of HMP Craiginches in Torry into accommodation for public sector workers.
A deal is currently being negotiated between Scottish Prison Service and Sanctuary Housing Association.
Some clinical work is still carried out at Woolmanhill, which was built in 1749, but most staff have been relocated to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
NHS Grampian chief executive Richard Carey said he wanted the “best value” for the taxpayer from the sale of Woolmanhill.
The decision was taken to sell when its repair bill reached around £20million.
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: “We have a public duty to get best value for money when we dispose of any asset we no longer require.”