Battle to save Insch Hospital continues
Locals have been left frustrated as they look to convince the Health and Social Care Partnership that the unit is still required in the village. They say patients lives risk being "compromised".
Last updated 4th Aug 2021
Residents in Insch are continuing to fight to save their local hospital.
The War Memorial unit was closed last year temporarily due to Covid, but is yet to re-open it's doors.
Locals have been told the hospital is under consideration for permanent closure, due to the condition of the building.
But the 'Friends of Insch Hospital' group have been trying to persuade the Aberdeen Health and Social Care Partnership that there very much is still a need for the facility in the village.
A strategic needs assessment is to be carried out, including a questionnaire, to assess the needs of the public - and decide the future of the unit.
The 'Friends of Insch Hospital' group were invited to help put together the survey, but have been left frustrated with the final result.
Vice Chair Alison Grant told Northsound:
"The Friends were shown a draft copy of the survey Wednesday 21st July and were given less than 24 hours to give our feedback. Despite this, the Friends provided very detailed concerns and suggested amendments and requested an urgent meeting with AH&SCP to discuss these.
"This request was ignored and very few of our comments were taken on board.
"A week later, AH&SCP sent a link to their online survey to those who had registered online and hard copies were also sent out by post
"The survey which is a key part of a consultation that will decide the future of Insch War Memorial Hospital mentions the currently closed hospital only once, and asks no direct question about its future"
Responding to the claims, a Spokesperson for AHSCP told us:
“The Strategic Needs Assessment survey is part of a wider, ongoing engagement process with the Insch community. We are currently at the first stage of this process, which involves identifying the community’s priorities for health and social care services. We will also be running a series of focus groups to obtain more data and help inform our assessment.
“Once the needs of the community have been identified, the second phase of this process will involve meeting those needs. This stage will be subject to further consultation.
“The survey has received an encouraging response so far, with more than 1,500 people or groups registering with their feedback. We continue to encourage members of the Insch community to get involved and complete the survey.”
Locals argue that the community desperately needs the facilities provided by the unit. Highlighted by the Friends of Insch Hospital were the palliative care services and minor injuries unit.
"We do not have a good transport system, families having to travel - and haven't been able to travel because of Covid - to Inverurie or Huntly to be with their dying relative has had a huge, huge impact on this community." Said Alison Grant.
She continued:
"I know that the GP's really feel that the patients lives are being compromised because they are refusing to go to ARI, they want to be going to their local hospital.
"It really flies in the face of everything the health service says, that care should be close to home and local."
The Friends say they are being contacted by residents who are having difficulty completing the survey they are offering to support people and will be holding drop in sessions.
They are also offering telephone help and posting advice on social media .
The first of these sessions will be on Thurs 12th August outside the hospital from 5pm to 7pm. Saturday 14th August at the former Bakehoose 9am to 1pm.
Please email the Friends if you require further information about the drop ins:
info@friendsofinschhospital.org