MP and Councillor Back Use of Insch Hospital for Community Beds

Gordon MP Richard Thomson and councillor for West Garioch Moray Grant have backed calls for Insch Hospital to be brought back into service to create additional bed space for NHS Grampian.

The move follows a proposal from the Friends of Insch Hospital to NHS Grampian and the Cabinet Secretary for Health which they believe offers a quick, simple and cost-effective way to create bed capacity in NHS Grampian.

Commenting, Richard Thomson MP said:

“This is a very positive contribution to the current need for more community beds from the Friends of Insch Hospital and one which, if followed through, will free-up capacity in other hospitals for admissions, particularly ARI.

“I have written to the Chief Executive of NHS Grampian making clear my view that beds in a hospital setting would be far preferable to those situated in a care home, both from a patient welfare and financial point of view."

Councillor Moray Grant (SNP: West Garioch) added:

“Given the severe current pressure on inpatient beds, there is an urgent need for NHS Grampian to engage with the Friends’ proposals. A return of in-patient beds at Insch will not only be of benefit to the immediate area, but also, and critically, relieve pressure on the whole of Grampian.

“Facilitating a return of beds to Insch would be a better – and indeed financially more prudent – investment and long term solution than having to rely on spare capacity in care homes to plug the gap.”