A private hospital in Ayr has been purchased by the health board to tackle orthopaedic surgery waiting times.
Carrick Glen Hospital has been snapped up for £1.8 million by NHS Ayrshire & Arran and will become one of 10 new national treatment centres (NTC).
The private healthcare hospital, just a stone’s throw away from University Hospital Ayr, looks set to make a difference to those waiting on procedures such as joint replacements.
It is hoped the NTCs will boost the health service recovery as it emerges from the coronavirus pandemic.
Health secretary Humza Yousaf announced the purchase during a visit to Ayr Hospital today.
Mr Yousaf said: "I am very pleased that Carrick Glen Hospital will become a national treatment centre, specialising in orthopaedics.
"These centres will mark the largest expansion in elective care capacity in NHS Scotland with an overall investment of over £400m.
"We know that the pandemic has taken its toll on services like orthopaedics, but the network of NTCs will help address this and will be central to NHS recovery.
“I would like to thank the NHS Ayrshire & Arran team for their continued hard work and determination to progress the new centre during a time of continued significant pressure.
"Within the next 12 months, we expect the national treatment centres in Highland, Forth Valley and Fife to come on stream, with a further expansion to the Golden Jubilee Hospital becoming operational next summer. This expansion, along with the NTC in Ayrshire, will provide significant additional capacity in orthopaedics."
Dr Joellene Mitchell, consultant anaesthetist and co-clinical lead for the NTC Ayrshire & Arran, said: "We are excited about the purchase of Carrick Glen Hospital to become NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s new national treatment centre and what that will mean for residents of Ayrshire and Arran.
“The NTC aims to create additional access to theatre sessions, increase orthopaedic inpatient beds and improve orthopaedic pathways through a whole scale review and redesign of processes, services, staffing and accommodation.
"It will complement the elective centre of excellence on the University Hospital Ayr site, and will mean that we can treat more patients, reducing waiting times and improving patient experience.”
Constituency MSP Elena Whitham has welcomed the new facility.
The Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley SNP member said: “This is an extremely welcome investment by NHS Ayrshire & Arran and a fantastic repurposing of a local asset which should make a huge difference to health outcomes and waiting times for joint replacements.
“We know that the pandemic has particularly impacted orthopaedic services, and the delivery of this NTC is to be very much applauded as NHS Ayrshire & Arran continue to mitigate the significant pressures it has faced as a consequence of required service restrictions; and moves forward into full recovery mode."
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