First Minister Humza Yousaf is facing pressure to live up to a pledge by Nicola Sturgeon to see Insch Hospital reopened.
The new SNP leader has been asked to fulfil the promise made by his predecessor during the last Holyrood election in May 2021.
Now, two years on since that pledge, the hospital remains closed after shutting its doors at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
The call comes as charity Friends of Insch Hospital prepare to meet on Saturday to discuss the next steps of their campaign to bring back a hospital for the future.
‘It’s either a yes or a no’
Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett has written to Mr Yousaf urging him to deliver on his predecessor’s promise.
He told the first minister reopening hospitals such as Insch could alleviate pressures on bed spaces at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
The Conservative MSP said: “The commitment was set in stone in the SNP manifesto, having been agreed with your prospective parliamentary candidate at that time.”
He added: “That was a point apparently understood by Nicola Sturgeon two years ago, and I expect the first minister to fulfil the obligations of his new office.
“It’s either a yes or a no — and knowing the answer will be very helpful to local campaigners as they plan the year ahead.”
Why did the hospital close?
The community hospital closed its doors due to staffing pressures at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020.
It is yet to reopen and health chiefs say it no longer meets modern healthcare standards.
A review of health services in Insch was launched in May 2021 but campaigners say it did not refer to the closure of the hospital.
Last year, a decision was taken to develop a so-called wellbeing hub and clinical space within the facility, which would no longer include in-patient beds.
But Friends of Insch Hospital, which has worked tirelessly to keep health services in the community since 1989, have drawn up their own vision for the hospital.
The proposals would see a new modular extension built onto the side of the day room and run parallel to the existing hospital building which is owned by NHS Grampian.
Crucially this would see all 12 patient beds retained on the historic hospital site.
What did Nicola Sturgeon promise?
The former first minister visited Insch during the last Holyrood election in 2021.
Speaking on the campaign trail at the time, she 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.”
Last month, Mr Yousaf, while still health secretary, confirmed work on the future of the hospital would resume later this year.
The now SNP leader said it will restart once the NHS’s “immediate system pressures” have reduced.
Allison Grant, vice-chair of Friends of Insch Hospital, said: “We will welcome any movement to reopen the hospital.
“We are ready to work with the health and social care partnership and the NHS to take our exciting proposals forward that have been presented to the partnership, the NHS and the government.
“We would expect all three bodies to be as excited and enthusiastic about taking this forward which would hugely benefit the patient population of Aberdeenshire.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We understand Aberdeenshire Health and Social Partnership has completed a health needs assessment and 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.”
Friends of Insch Hospital AGM takes place on Saturday at Insch Church Hall at 9.30am.
