Campaigners hoping to save a hospital which Nicola Sturgeon personally promised to reopen say they feel “duped” by health chiefs, following a consultation on its future.
The facility at Insch was closed at the start of the pandemic due to staffing pressures and health bosses say the current building is not safe to reopen.
Campaigners say a consultation into local health services did not refer to the closure of the hospital.
A decision was taken recently to develop a so-called wellbeing hub and clinical space within the facility, which will no longer include in-patient beds.
Officers at the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP) will continue to work on arrangements for alternative in-patient facilities for the area.
But this will be within “existing budget provision”.
‘Widespread and deep concern’
Graham Matthews, chair of the Friends of Insch Hospital and Community, said “no formal consultation for closure of the existing facility has ever been carried out”.
He added: “A Strategic Needs Assessment was undertaken in Insch and District but the report arising from it, on which this decision was based, is deeply flawed and did not reflect the views of the local community.
“As part of the assessment there was a consultation, but that did not refer to closure of the hospital.
“There is widespread and deep concern within our community at the loss of vital health facilities and services here.
“A great many local folk participated in the consultation process in good faith, and, frankly, feel duped. We now intend to mount a united front to challenge this decision.”
Sturgeon says hospital should reopen
As well as developing the “wellness hub”, work will progress on developing a business case for longer-term health care options to serve the area.
This will need to be submitted to the Scottish Government to compete across other projects across Scotland for funding.
The options on the table all involve some form of new build facilities – including shifting healthcare provision to Inverurie – an option the local community opposes.
The future of the hospital remains uncertain despite the first minister promising to have it reopened during last year’s Holyrood election.
Health and social care bosses have only met the Scottish Government once to discuss the plans since the pre-election announcement in May 2021.
Speaking at the time, Ms Sturgeon said: “I am determined Insch War Memorial Hospital will reopen and I think any suggestion it wouldn’t is unacceptable.
“While the health board is the decision maker here, as first minister I would not find it acceptable to have a hospital like this not reopening.”
The community hospital normally has 11 beds for patients only requiring the care of a GP or those in rehabilitation following surgery or illness, as well as a palliative care suite.
Frank Musgrave, from Bennachie Community Council, said earlier this month that local expectation “has of course been influenced” by the first minister’s visit.
Geraldine Fraser, partnership manager for the AHSCP, said they have “engaged extensively” with Friends of Insch Hospital and Community and the wider community.
She added: “As part of that process we held a number of focus groups and, with support from volunteers including the Friends, we developed options for the future service provision which they then scored. The option to re-open the hospital as it was pre-covid scored second from last.
“Our Integration Joint Board has asked us to proceed with the development of a health and wellbeing hub at the hospital, which would see the hospital re-opening its doors as a vital community resource, in the near future.
“In conjunction with that we will also develop a business case for a new build facility for inpatient services, which will be submitted to the Scottish Government for consideration after wider consultation.”
‘Fully committed’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We understand that Aberdeenshire Health and Social Partnership has completed a health needs assessment and that it will consult the public on four potential options.
“This will allow the health and social care partnership to identify its preferred option and set out the reasons in a business case to be sent to the Scottish Government for review.
“We are fully committed to supporting services being delivered from the Insch War Memorial Hospital and we look forward to receiving the business case in due course.”
Nicola Sturgeon accused of rolling back on pledge to reopen Insch hospital