UPDATE ON GRANTOWN MEDICAL PRACTICE

It has been announced that work will continue at Grantown’s Health Centre, with Neil Gray confirming yesterday [8th of April] that the remainder of the project would be complete.

Speaking on the announcement, Emma said:

“I’m glad to hear that, despite the extremely difficult financial situation, work can continue at Grantown Medical Practice.

“This is the next stage in a wider process of delivering better healthcare in Badenoch & Strathspey. Glad efforts of myself and others have led to the right decision.”

Emma wrote to Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care on the 4th of March. The letter reads:

Dear Neil,

I am writing regarding the withdrawal of capital funding for the new Grantown Health Centre. I understand that this is part of a wider pause of NHS capital funding, however, the position of the Health Centre is one I felt it was necessary to outline to you.

Work on the Grantown site began in July 2023 by Morrisons Construction who hold a single contract for this work, to be completed in 2 main stages: redevelopment of the original building while staff were decanted to the old Ian Charles Community Hospital next door, followed by some demolition and building of an extension once staff were moved back into the health centre.

Essentially, the project has been stopped halfway through, as it was being done in stages, leaving the centre without the extension.

Without the extension, the staff locally do not have the additional clinical rooms that allow patient services to remain in Grantown. This was a key part of the agreement between the Scottish Government, NHS Highland, and the Grantown community in accepting the closure of the community hospital with transfer of the beds to a new facility in Aviemore.

I hope you will take into consideration their unique case as the situation progresses around capital funding. I appreciate any information or updates you can share at this stage.

Yours sincerely, Emma.