First Minister Humza Yousaf rebuffs calls from Edward Mountain for a replacement to Raigmore Hospital
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First Minister Humza Yousaf has said he has no plans to replace Raigmore Hospital in the near future after MSP Edward Mountain ramped up his campaign to deliver a brand new general teaching hospital for the Highlands.
Mr Mountain appears to have been rebuffed by the First Minister just hours after he launched a petition to gain support to replace Raigmore, with Mr Yousaf saying: “We’re not looking at replacing Raigmore right now.”
Speaking to STV, the First Minister said: “We’re, of course, looking to see what more we can do to support Raigmore, where we can add to it, where we can invest in Raigmore, and we will absolutely look to do that.
“We, of course, are investing in Raigmore. I announced as health secretary additional investment for Raigmore, particularly in relation to its maternity services. We’ll continue to invest in important hospitals like Raigmore,” Yousaf added.
“I’ll, of course, consider any petition. But in a time when we have really finite capital resources, finite resources full stop actually, we’ve got to make sure we’re targeting the places that need it the most.”
Mr Mountain earlier that: “Raigmore is only going to age further, and a large-scale replacement project could take years to deliver. “However, we could save years of time if we begin developing plans and consulting with communities for a replacement right now.
He added: “I’m confident that if we build enough public pressure through this petition, then calls to replace Raigmore will be impossible to ignore.”
The Scottish Government has already committed £5 million to upgrading maternity services at the hospital alongside the £48.6 million spent on the new National Treatment Centre in Inverness.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have invested £48 million in NHS Highland’s National Treatment Centre, which opened on the Inverness campus last month.
“It will help reduce waiting times for patients undergoing orthopaedic and ophthalmology procedures such as hip replacements and cataract surgery.
“This follows the Scottish Government’s investment of over £40m in two community hospitals in Badenoch and Strathspey and Skye, Lochalsh, and South West Ross, which both opened last year.
“We continue to work closely with NHS Highland to identify the best way forward for health infrastructure in the area.”
