Health bosses in Moray are preparing to reach out to the community as they draw up plans for a new medical centre.
Management will be in Keith tomorrow for a public meeting about the project to replace the existing doctor’s surgery and Turner Memorial Hospital.
A site has already been identified for the new development near the town’s secondary school.
But now, Health and Social Care Moray wants to hear from locals about what they would like to see inside the building.
The organisation, which is a partnership between the council and NHS Grampian, has already revealed it is considering incorporating other facilities into the project.
However, the body has also warned it must tackle the issue of whether maintaining some existing services in Keith will be viable in the future.
Ideas presented during tomorrow’s talks will help Health and Social Care Moray and the NHS to develop proposals to secure funding for the new health centre from the Scottish Government.
Included in the blueprint will be explanations about why the new facilities are needed, the likely costs and the services that will be delivered.
Patients collected 1,000 names on a petition to present to the NHS to call for a replacement for the Keith Health Centre and Turner Memorial Hospital, parts of which date back to 1880 and are no longer fit for purpose.
Pam Gowans, chief officer of Health and Social Care Moray, is leading the preparations to secure funding for the project.
She said: “We are ambitious in our desire to form a model of health and care for this locality which is fit for the future, which improves service delivery, people’s experiences of services and leads to better health and well-being outcomes.
“We want to come together with all stakeholders to understand their ambitions for health and care in their community and draw on their interest to plan, develop and deliver this project together.”
The initial public meeting to help draw up the plans for the new health centre will be held tomorrow in the Longmore Hall in Keith at 7pm.
A series of workshops and other events will then be arranged following the talks to encourage members of the community to remain involved in the design process.