200 Attended Pitlochry Bobbin Mill Public Meeting

“Although the plans have inevitably been delayed, I welcome the discussions that are being held with a number of national care home providers to establish a new nursing care home. The meeting was told that the response of these providers has been positive and I hope successful negotiations can be concluded. If these negotiations bear fruit, this will lead to the development of welcome new provision in the area.”

John Swinney hoped that everyone who attended the meeting felt the sense that this project is moving ahead once again and that the community can look forward to new facilities being available by the spring of 2007. “I applaud the partners to the project who are contributing a great deal to ensure its success and I pledge to keep the local community in Pitlochry fully informed of progress," he concluded.

Meeting's Details

Following the withdrawal of the Church of Scotland from the innovative integrated project, there were representatives at the meeting of the remaining partners in the development: NHS Tayside; Toberargan Surgery; Perth & Kinross Council; and the developers, Medical Centres Scotland.

In a detailed series of presentations and a panel discussion the audience heard a strong statement of commitment from Peter Bates, Chairman of NHS Tayside, in which he confirmed that funding had been secured for the healthcare components of the project.

Paying tribute to the role of Mr Swinney in maintaining pressure for the delivery of new services and the dedication of the local community, he added that NHS Tayside was also committed to working with the Local Authority and partners to secure a new care home for the area.

He said, “This is an enormously complex and challenging project for the partners to deliver but we are determined to explore every possibility to deliver the original vision of a range of services operating from a single site in the heart of the community.”

Two-Stage Approach

Bill Nicoll, General Manager of Perth & Kinross Community Health Partnership, explained the new directions for the project. He outlined a two-stage approach, which would allow the first phase to proceed with the replacement community hospital and new GP surgery/health centre on the Bobbin Mill site.

The second phase, he went on, would see the development of a new stand-alone care home on the same site, subject to planning. Negotiations are already under way between the developers and a number of care home providers to identify a partner to own and operate the care home.

The developers, Medical Centres Scotland, outlined the details of the proposed new site layout, the development phases and how the new facilities would look.

It was explained that the second phase to develop the care home on a separate part of the site was intended to start later, but would run in parallel, to ensure that both phases could be completed by Spring 2007.

It was also noted that negotiations were advanced with the Scottish Ambulance Service to relocate the ambulance base to the Bobbin Mill site.

The panel addressed a wide range of well-informed queries from the local community in the audience.

Representatives of Crossreach, the Church of Scotland care home provider organisation, responded to questions rasied by the audience on their decision to withdraw from the original plans.

Care Home Negotiations

The current status of the project is that there will be a two-phase development on the Bobbin Mill site. Phase one to deliver a replacement community hospital and GP surgery has secured funding and is proceeding to the final planning stage; Phase two to provide a new care home has the clear commitment of the partners and will commence shortly after phase one.

There are advanced negotiations with a number of care home providers to identify a preferred provider to own and operate the care home under a design and build contract with Medical Centres Scotland. Perth & Kinross Council will offer the same terms and conditions as in the original scheme.

It is intended that both phases of the development will remain on schedule for completion in Spring 2007.