Opinion - Health Minister visits Fort William
On Wednesday the 23rd Neil Gray the Scottish Health Minister and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes came to Fort William, expectations were high that there would be an announcement on the replacement of the Belford. But NHS Highland put forward their ‘B’ team, neither the Chairman nor Chief Executive attended. A tour of the Belford, visibility of beds in the corridors, limited washroom facilities etc apparently made it clear to Gray that the hospital wasn’t fit for purpose, a fact that had been known to local medical staff for twenty years.
The meeting was subdued, the £3.5m needed to finalise plans, cost the job and get the project shovel ready wasn’t forthcoming from NHS Highland. The politicians said that the funds for the build weren’t available in any case. It was made clear that the imminent Westminster budget is all important, if capital funding for health was made available then Scotland would get a consequential sum. What was not actually committed was that the Belford would top the priority list in Scotland. We are up against the Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh which needs to be rebuilt.
I’m optimistic that the Labour Government will commit to new hospitals in the South and that capital will therefore be made available to the Scottish Government to invest in Scotland. Surely it is our turn Mr Gray, please allocate that funding to Lochaber.
Both visiting Ministers have been aware of the crisis in Highland care for some time, and will have been reminded of this by the Save Moss Park placards being held aloft by the picket outside the Belford. The Scottish Government’s reaction to the closing of many care homes, the shipping of residents 100 miles away and expensive beds in hospitals being taken up by elderly waiting for a care bed seems to be ‘not our problem mate’. Yes, it is the role of the Highland Council and NHS Highland but both organisations have no money at all. I fervently pray that the NHS take over Moss Park, it seems the only viable option. In the spring I wrote to Fiona Davies the Chief Executive of NHS Highland and Neil Gray calling for them to fund new 60 bed care homes with staff accommodation in Fort William, Portree, Ullapool and Fort Augustus to cope with the ever worsening crisis of our ageing population.
It is excellent news that the Mackintosh in Mallaig is reopening, and congratulations to Abbeyfield in Ballachulish, voted 2nd best care home in Scotland. They won’t be short of applicants for beds.
The proposed concrete open sided tunnel (that exists on every Alpine road) on the Rest and Be Thankful is estimated to cost an astonishing £470m. Someone pointed out to me the other day that the over spend on building Calmac’s Glen Rosa and Sannox ferries would have easily funded a new hospital and care home in Fort William. Scotland has the money, we just don’t spend it well.
