Transforming healthcare in Aberdeenshire

The First Minister has opened a £14.7 million health facility providing additional services in Aberdeenshire, including a dental surgery and a community maternity unit.

The Inverurie Health and Care Hub will accommodate an estimated 30,000 patients in its 38 consulting rooms within five years, doubling that of the previous GP practice.

The First Minister also viewed construction progress at the £55 million Inverurie Community Campus, which is part of new school construction projects worth £156 million underway across the north of Scotland.

Speaking after touring the health and school facilities in Inverurie, Ms Sturgeon said:

"This new health facility in Inverurie is an excellent example of integrated health and social care, providing people with services located in a single setting, at the heart of the community.

"It is exactly in line with our vision of improving primary care by allowing GPs to focus their skills where they add most value and allowing patients to be seen at the right time by the right person.

“The new £55 million Inverurie Community Campus will be a massive boost for the town giving young people state of the art world class facilities in which to learn.

“These facilities are two of many new infrastructure projects planned as part of our significant investment in the north east.”

Background

Since completing the Inverurie Health and Care Hub, hub North Scotland has started constructing new community hospitals in Aviemore and on Skye, a £40 million package for NHS Highland.

The Inverurie Community Campus is funded as part of the £1.8 billion Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme. Aberdeenshire will also benefit from the recently announced Peterhead Community Campus, part of the £1 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme.