Calls have been made to replace an aging lift at a north-east hospital that keeps breaking down.
The lift for Fraserburgh Hospital’s Philorth ward was installed about 50 years ago and is under repair at a growing rate.
It means visitors and patients often have no alternative but to use stairs or make use of a one person stair lift.
Branding that “unacceptable”, Fraserburgh councillor Ian Tait has called for a replacement to be funded.
“The lift was installed about 50 years ago and it is showing more and more problems and contractors are sometimes finding it difficult to get replacement parts,” he said.
“It clearly needs replacing.
“It is obviously of considerable importance because my constituents are most certainly being subjected to a great deal of inconvenience and I should imagine some pain as well.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said funding for a lift would have to be considered alongside other “competing priorities”.
“The lift was installed almost 50 years ago and there have been other occasions when the lift has been out of order over the last few months,” he added.
“On each occasion, the contractor has responded swiftly to carry out the repairs. However, due to the age of the lift, replacement parts can be difficult to source.
“We are grateful to patients for their cooperation and understanding and have recently obtained a stair lift that will over an alternative for patients, relatives and staff as a contingency.
“We are also exploring options to find a more permanent solution.
“Initial indications are that the replacement of the lift itself is likely to have a significant cost attached to it and would require the identification of funding which needs to be considered alongside other competing priorities.”