Extended opening hours for community hospitals

Feb 26 2010 by Johnathon Menzies, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ACCESS to healthcare facilities in Perthshire’s rural areas has improved, it was claimed yesterday

And experts hope that extending the opening hours of several of the region’s community hospitals will take some of the pressure off the hard-working staff at Perth Royal Infirmary.

The Perth and Kinross community health partnership heard there are currently three nurse-led minor illness and injury units across the region – providing in- and out-of-hours services – within Blairgowrie, Crieff and Pitlochry community hospitals.

Local GPs in Aberfeldy and Auchterarder also operate the service during business hours.

But, after changes were given the green-light, the Blairgowrie, Crieff and Pitlochry units will open between 8am and 10pm, seven-days-a-week, from April.

A weekday service will run between 8am and 6pm in Aberfeldy, as well as at St Margaret’s in the Lang Toon.

Bill Nicoll, general manager of the community health partnership, said: “These units are very valuable facilities within local communities.

“The new proposals will benefit people living in rural Perthshire, providing alternatives to travelling into Perth,” he said.