New site needed for new hospital in Inverness, says Highlands and Islands MSP

A new site needs to be found for a new acute general teaching hospital for the Highlands, according to Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain.

Mr Mountain, who is stepping up his campaign for the replacement of Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, is organising a summit meeting next month to discuss healthcare in the region.

The panel will include a senior member of NHS Highland’s board and consultants/surgeons from Raigmore while the public will get the chance to share their views.

• MSP announces summit to discuss future of healthcare

He said a sense of urgency is now needed and although he did not have a location in mind, or costings for a new hospital, he threw down the gauntlet to the Scottish Government.

"Maybe the government instead of just saying we are going to improve Raigmore, perhaps they could do costings," he said.

"What is it going to cost to improve Raigmore and what is it going to cost to build and bring it to the table."

He added: "Basically, I don't think this site is big enough. We need to find a new site as we need to build a new hospital."

Mr Mountain said the First Minister Humza Yousaf and Health Secretary Michael Matheson had agreed Raigmore would need "significant investment".

"I don’t believe significant investment is enough on the basis this hospital was built 40 years ago and was not designed to do what it is doing today," he said.

He said beds had been lost since the coronavirus pandemic while during the last few months the hospital's accident and emergency department had put out warnings to the public as it had not been able to get people out due to a lack of beds.

"We have all these reasons why we need a new Raigmore Hospital," he said.

"A lot of people are saying it is unrealistic.

"I don't think it is unrealistic to expect the government to invest in the Highlands."

He also maintained it would not cost as much as new hospitals in Glasgow or Edinburgh.

"Do we deserve anything less than Edinburgh or Glasgow?" he said.

"I would argue we deserve more because we are more remote."

Mr Mountain said that if the new hospital was a teaching hospital it would encourage people to move into the region to train and then they might remain.

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