New developments at Murray Royal Hospital

Sep 1 2009 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

DEAR Editor, – I am writing as a member of the Perth and Kinross public partnership group, who has been following the developments at Murray Royal Hospital.

As most people will know by now, there is to be a new hospital built, to include facilities for general adult psychiatry services, psychiatry of old age, long term care and rehabilitation – and a new medium secure care clinic.

The contract for the new development has been awarded to Taycare.

An open event has been arranged for Friday September 4, from 10am to 4pm, and Saturday September 5, from 10am until 1pm, at the facility’s group recreational therapy building, which is an annex to the main hospital building at Murray Royal.

There will be a large scale model of the new hospital on display there, and representatives from Taycare will be in attendance to answer any questions.

This is a chance to see at first hand what the new hospital will look like.

As Taycare will only be using part of the site for this development, NHS Tayside have set up a group to discuss what will happen to the residual land and buildings.

They are looking for viable options and alternative uses for the main hospital building, the old Gilgal hospital, Dunsinane (situated just off Muirhall Road, and previously used as a workshop for patients), the Moncrieffe bowling pavilion and the chapel.

These buildings are no longer required by NHS Tayside.

The residual ground stretches up the hospital site from behind the present nurses home which will shortly be demolished.

It will include the ground in front of the main building and reach right up to Muirhall Road.

It is currently parkland where patients and members of the public can walk.

As I am one of the public partnership members on the residual land and buildings group, I would welcome your suggestions on alternative uses for the land and buildings to bring to the next group meeting on September 10.

Maureen Summers,

maureensummers@btinternet.com