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Fears north coast health hub proposal has stalled





Sutherland councillors are voicing “grave concerns” over a lack of progress on a long-standing plan to build a £1.6 million new health and social care hub for the north coast.

Councillor Linda Munro asked that the health hub issue be discussed at Sutherland County Committee.
Councillor Linda Munro asked that the health hub issue be discussed at Sutherland County Committee.

Fears are growing that the hub plan may be about to stall amid a rumoured funding dispute between Highland Council and NHS Highland.

The issue was raised as an urgent item at a meeting of Sutherland County Committee in Drummuie on Tuesday February 25.

The new facility would replace two small residential homes for the elderly - Caladh Sona at Talmine and Sinclair Court at Melvich - as well as accommodate other health and social care services.

North coast landowner Anders Povlsens’s company Wildland Ltd has pledged its support towards the scheme in terms of an appropriate site at Tongue and additional funding.

Committee chairman Cllr Richard Gale, East Sutherland and Edderton, said at the Drummuie meeting : “The development of a care home in the north coast was discussed in chamber two years ago and Cllr Linda Munro and I now have grave concerns about its progress.”

Cllr Munro, who represents the north, west and central Sutherland ward, explained she had asked for it to be raised at committee as “whispers” about a dispute between NHS Highland and and Highland Council regarding the funding of the project.

She said: “There are whispers that this will be dealt with under capital expenditure but we do not view this as a capital issue.

“”We have been here already and it was agreed two years ago that the new build would be financed from slippage in the NHS maintenance fund. “There is £5 million in that pot.”

Cllr Munro pointed out that a redesign of health and adult social care services services along the north coast was first embarked on six years ago.

She spoke of the effect the delay in getting it off the ground was having on local health professionals.

“This is year six of the north coast redesign,” she said. That is six years where people employed in Caladh Sona and Sinclair Court have been jumping at shadows, wondering whether they will have a job in six months’ time.

Cllr Munro added that local GPs were also worried and had written to Highland Council chief executive Donna Manson and council leader Margaret Davidson. She herself had also written.

“We need some kind of official response and not whispers,” she said.

A spokeswoman for NHS Highland said: “ NHS Highland continues to work with both Wildland and Highland Council to progress both the design and funding options.

“As agreed Highland Council has produced a costed design for the original site while Wildland (working to the same schedule of accommodation) are looking at options for the new site.

“Discussions have been held with all parties to look at funding options. It is expected that a decision on the site, design option and funding will be taken in the coming weeks."


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