The SNP’s likely next leader John Swinney is facing calls to keep a three-year-old election promise to reopen a north-east hospital.
Insch War Memorial Hospital was mothballed at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, with staff moved elsewhere.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made a pledge to reopen the site during a visit to Insch during the Holyrood election campaign in May 2021.
And she unveiled an SNP manifesto promise to “refurbish and replace” the community hospital.
But three years on, the facility remains closed with local health chiefs saying it no longer meets modern healthcare standards and that it is not safe to reopen.
They have been working for over a year on finding an alternative community use for the hospital site.
But campaigners still want to continue the battle to see hospital beds return to Insch.
The Scottish Government advice is that a “business case” was to be submitted before any funding could be relayed and campaigners say they are left “in limbo”.
Now, there are calls for Mr Swinney, who on Thursday emerged as the only likely candidate for SNP leader and first minister following Humza Yousaf’s resignation, to follow through with support.
Was it an ‘election stunt’?
Speaking during her visit to Insch ahead of the Holyrood election in 2021, Ms Sturgeon said she was “determined” the hospital will reopen.
She added: “While the health board is the decision-maker here, as first minister I would not find it acceptable to have a hospital like this not reopening.”
While still health secretary, Mr Yousaf revealed in March 2023 that work on the future of the house would resume later that year.
He said talks would restart once “immediate system pressures on the NHS had been reduced”.
A lack of direct government intervention has led to accusations the promise was little more than an “election stunt”.
Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett said: “The Friends of Insch have had to look on as a succession of health ministers, and now first ministers, have passed up on dealing with the problem of Insch War Memorial Hospital.
“Regardless of whether the Sturgeon visit and manifesto entry was an election stunt, this government made a promise to ‘refurbish and replace’ a vital community health setting.
“Humza Yousaf continued to fail the people of Insch and wider Aberdeenshire in both as health minister and first minister.”
Campaigners left ‘in limbo’
The Friends of Insch Hospital say the future of the community hospital has “remained in limbo” since its “temporary” closure more than four years ago.
The campaign group drew up their own vision for the hospital, which would see a new modular extension built onto the side of the day room.
They met with former Health Secretary Michael Matheson and Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross last year, and recently discussed the issue with Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
In a statement, the campaign group said: “It’s Catch-22, we are told by the health authorities that the hospital is unfit to be reopened but they are not prepared to consider any of the viable solutions we have proposed to resolve that.
“The building remains partially occupied and accommodates a handful of office workers, but it is not serving our community.
“The loss of vital community hospital beds continues to have a huge detrimental impact on the health and wellbeing of patients and families throughout Aberdeenshire and on an overloaded Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.”
The campaign group is holding a public meeting to discuss next steps at Insch Church Hall from 10am to 12 noon on Saturday, May 18.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “As a direct result of significant UK Government cuts to Scotland’s block grant, health capital projects have been paused.
“Our emphasis for the immediate future will be on addressing backlog maintenance and essential equipment replacement.”
Conversation