A freeze on new NHS projects has sparked fears two new health centres in Ellon and Banchory will be pushed even “further back in the queue”.
The concern follows an order for health boards last week to halt new construction projects.
Affected sites include a new NHS national treatment centre in Aberdeen which aims to cut patient waiting lists.
But with projects like that being paused, questions are being raised about other aspirations to improve community facilities.
In Ellon, NHS Grampian had bought land at the old academy site for a replacement health centre.
A site was also found in Banchory for another new health centre.
NHS Grampian says neither has received government funding.
In June last year, health chiefs were told that a new funding process was being developed and the Ellon project should be paused.
What is planned?
The new Ellon health centre was included as part of a masterplan for the former Ellon Academy site.
The proposal was agreed back in 2020, three years after the old school was demolished.
Under the masterplan, the current GP surgery would be knocked down to make way for its replacement.
It is designed to ease pressure on staff due to the town’s rising population.
North East MSP Douglas Lumsden worries the latest budget crisis means the schemes are even less likely to get moving.
On the Ellon centre, he said: “The current medical practice is crumbling and not fit for purpose for the 21st century at a time when the town’s population continues to grow rapidly which is why it’s unacceptable that these delays have occurred.”
Meanwhile, Aberdeenshire West MP Alexander Burnett has similar concerns for Banchory, which is at an even less developed stage.
He said: “Residents will rightly feel let down after being told in 2019 that NHS Grampian was hoping to secure Scottish Government funding for a new health and social care facility.
“Five years on, the community has seen very little progress on a new facility that would offer a range of services under one roof and deliver a number of health benefits to our growing population.”
UK Treasury cut blamed
The Scottish Government blames the UK Treasury’s decisions to cut their capital budget for the next five years.
A spokeswoman said: “Our emphasis for the immediate future will be on addressing backlog maintenance and essential equipment replacement.”
A revised infrastructure investment plan will be published this spring detailing what happens next to paused projects.
‘We share the disappointment’
An NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “We have purchased land in Ellon for a new health centre and identified a site in Banchory for a new health centre there.
“However, there has never been any confirmation of funding from Scottish Government for these projects and as such we have not further progressed the business cases for either of them.
“This was the case prior to the Scottish Government advice to pause new capital projects.
“We realise the need to replace both these centres and share the disappointment of the local community at not being able to move forward with this work.”
Conversation