This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Cash to modernise Scotland's health service
15/08/2005
An investment of £65 million to provide modern
facilities for patients and staff in the Scottish NHS was
announced today.
First Minister Jack McConnell announced the investment
as he officially opened the impressive new Bonnyrigg Health
Centre in Midlothian. He said:
"I welcome this fantastic new health centre in
Bonnyrigg.
"Health Centres, pharmacies and dental surgeries are the
first port of call for most Scots using their NHS. They
demand and deserve excellent facilities which match their
needs, so we will continue to invest in new local
centres.
"But record breaking investment in the NHS must be
coupled with modernisation and reform.
"We need more treatment and diagnosis at local health
centres close to people's homes. This reduces costly, time
consuming visits to hospital - but it delivers better,
faster treatment too.
"The NHS in Scotland needs to adapt to the changing
needs of this country. We need to deliver flexible services
in the community - where they are most needed.
"This investment will be crucial to achieving our
goal."
The money comes from the Primary and Community Care
Premises Modernisation programme.
The investment will be allocated through NHS Boards
bidding to the Executive in two phases over the next two
years. Further announcements will outline details of
individual projects to benefit.
The existing programme since 1999 has already invested
£78m on 165 projects across Scotland. It has covered:
- rejuvenation of many existing Health Centres and
clinics
- provision of new premises in remote and rural
locations, such as Argyll
- support to encourage Health Boards to co-locate
services and work more effectively together with local
authority and other partners, in Broxburn, West Lothian
and initiatives across East Ayrshire
- platforms for better delivery of NHS
dentistry, such as Lauriston walk in centre)
- models for modern community pharmacy, such
as Colinton, East Kilbride and Hilltown, Dundee
The new Bonnyrigg Health Centre, one of the largest of
its kind in the UK, provides homes for three GP practices,
along with district nurses, health visitors, midwives,
physiotherapists and other health workers. It is four times
larger than the one it replaces, serves a patient
population of approximately 25,000 and comprises of 21 GP
consulting rooms, 10 treatment rooms, Minor Surgery Suite,
two Midwifery Consulting Rooms, Physiotherapy Gym and
Treatment Cubicles, two podiatry Treatment Rooms, Health
Visitors Consulting Room and Health Education Room,
Community Consulting Rooms and Interview Rooms. Other
services include:
- Supporting Learning Disabilities
- Community Care of the Elderly
- Community Dementia Team
- Dietetics
- District Nurses
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Community Occupational Therapy