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How NHS Grampian is tackling Elgin housing crisis to secure crucial Dr Gray’s staff

New avenues are also being explored to secure Scottish Government funding for a new MRI scanner.

View of Dr Gray's Hospital dome entrance with sign in front.
New recruits and students at Dr Gray's have reported it is hard to secure property when moving to Elgin. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

NHS Grampian has run a study of availably housing in the Elgin area amidst worries a critical shortage is hampering recruitment at Dr Gray’s Hospital.

Managers have reported hearing “anecdotal” worries from staff and new employees for years about finding it hard to find somewhere to stay locally.

Difficulties securing rental properties have been growing as landlords move out of the sector.

Now NHS Grampian has taken steps to ease housing concerns in recruitment for jobs at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.

What is NHS Grampian doing to help recruitment?

NHS Grampian has secured five new flats in Elgin for medical staff at Dr Gray’s Hospital to use from the beginning of this month.

The first of the properties is already being occupied by a newly-appointed consultant.

Meanwhile, a study has been run with Aberdeen University and Moray Council of homes in the area to better understand what’s available in the local property market. 

Officials told NHS Grampian’s health board meeting yesterday that finding places for students on university placements to stay were particularly challenging.

Christina Cameron, programme manager for the strategic plan for Dr Gray’s, said it was important for the health board to understand the “current picture” to ensure there was capacity to meet their demand from students.

A nationwide recruitment campaign as part of efforts to restore the hospital’s consultant-led maternity unit remains ongoing.

Geraldine Fraser, NHS Grampian’s integrated families portfolio executive lead, said: “We have quite a lot of success with that with.

“There have been appointments in paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology and midwifery roles.”

‘Discussions ongoing about Dr Gray’s MRI scanner’

Plans to further bolster services at Dr Gray’s with the introduction of a new MRI scanner were dealt a blow when the Scottish Government pulled funding earlier this year.

It was hoped the project would reduce journeys for Moray patients while freeing up capacity at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The work was tied to refurbishments to the mental health ward at Dr Gray’s following inspection recommendations. The projects were due to take place at the same time to reduce disruption for patients.

View of main entrance at Dr Gray's hospital.
Discussions are continuing to secure funding for an MRI scanner at Dr Gray’s. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson

Simon Bokor-Ingram, NHS Grampian’s Moray portfolio lead, said discussions were taking place to see whether NHS Grampian could fund the Ward 4 work themselves.

He stressed the work would ideally be done at the same time as the installation of the MRI scanner with talks ongoing with the Scottish Government about funding.

However, NHS Grampian’s interim chief executive, Adam Coldwells, warned cash was unlikely to be secured for the Dr Gray’s project on its own.

He said: “The MRI and Ward 4 projects were only realistic by bundling them with the new National Treatment Centre (in Aberdeen).

“We can look at divorcing them from that and see if that can work, but I think national funding is very unlikely to come forward.”

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