A consultation to develop health and wellbeing services in the Lossiemouth area has been given the go-ahead.
Members of Moray Integrated Joint Board agreed for a community engagement exercise to begin to gather views on care provision in the area.
The consultation will look at increasing the number of consulting rooms at the Moray Coast Medical Practice in Lossiemouth and the future of its branch surgeries in Hopemen and Burghead.
Temporarily shut at the start of the pandemic, there are fears that the Burghead and Hopman surgeries could close for good as the premises are not compliant with care regulations and incompatible with social distancing regulations.
‘Thorny issue’
Independent councillor for Heldon and Laich John Cowe was invited to speak at the meeting.
He said: “We have a very thorny issue to deal with here.
“These are very distinct villages and very proud communities in their own particular ways and they plough their own fields. On this occasion they are speaking with one voice.
“Unfortunately, whatever the outcome of this it will not please everybody.”
Locality manager with Health and Social Care Moray Iain Macdonald, who will help lead the public engagement and consultation, told the meeting the aim was to improve the service for patients in the area.
He said: “Openness and transparency, there’s a sense that hasn’t always been the case.
“This is the beginning of engagement, it doesn’t stop at the end of March with a report. It’s the beginning of working with the community and doing it in a different way.”
Letters have already be sent out to patients aged 16 and over setting out the proposals, and surveys on the buildings in Hopeman and Burghead have been carried out and will include the extent of any work that may be required.
Findings will be published online on a dedicated webpage for the consultation.
What happens next?
The Hopeman and Burghead surgeries operated on a part-time basis seeing a combined total of 114 patients a week.
Although people can book transport for appointments in Lossiemouth with a community minibus or dial-a-bus those who have to use public transport face a three-hour round trip.
NHS Grampian rents the Burghead surgery on Grant Street at a cost of just over £5,840 a year, while the Hopeman branch on Harbour Street is GP owned.
The Moray Coast centre was build on land owned by the military next to RAF Lossiemouth with investment from NHS Grampian and private funding.
Since opening in April 2008 the patient numbers at the practice have increased from 6,984 to 10,190 in May this year.
A further report on the findings of the community engagement will go to the board meeting in January.
The result of the public consultation will be reported to members on March 27.