I am due to meet in May with the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Neil Gray, to make the case for the Scottish Government to proceed with the plans they put forward to replace two Fife health centres in Kincardine and Lochgelly.
I visited Kincardine Health Centre earlier this week and met with staff and members of the Community Council to see first hand the condition of the building.
It is absolutely clear to anyone who visits this health centre that it is well past its sell by date and must be replaced sooner than later. It is a great testament to all the staff at Kincardine Health Centre that they continue to deliver the services they do in such poor facilities but this situation cannot continue for any length of time.
I have been given assurance by NHS Fife that they will take steps to address some of the poorest infrastructure for the short term and whilst this is welcome it does not address the fact that the building is quite simply not fit for purpose. I had a date to meet the Health Secretary in April but that has now been moved to May. I will be making clear to him that this situation cannot be allowed to continue and we need the government to honour the promise it made to the people of Kincardine and the people of Lochgelly to replace their health centres with new buildings that are able to deliver the local health services required.
NHS Fife was well ahead with its plans for two new health centres for Kincardine and Lochgelly when the Scottish government froze the budgets. The funding for both must now be released in order to allow NHS Fife to get on with the crucial task for building the new health facilities that will be fit for purpose to meet the health needs for these communities.
