A REPORT by Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership, AHSCP, gives an insight onto the changing face of the service in Stonehaven and across the Shire.
The hybrid of NHS Grampian and Aberdeenshire Council hit the headlines earlier this year, when a £17 million bale-out package was required following an overspend of £27.1 million against the operating budget of £426.4 million.
Huge savings across the service are required to balance the AHSCP books, along with a new strategic delivery plan to make this happen.
Report to Area Committee
According to the report which will be presented to tomorrow’s meeting of the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee, a list of initiatives is now expected to be axed, including: In-house Care at Home – the Future; mental health strategy; development of suicide prevention strategy; and very sheltered housing review.
And Appendix 2 to chief officer Leigh Jolly’s report to the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee details planned changes to the service in the Stonehaven area – so residents with any interest in areas of our health and social care delivery may wish to attend the meeting to hear both the officer’s report and the councillors’ questions and discussions generated.
An appendix details the local impact
From December 1, Stonehaven Medical Group will also provide general medical services to the Auchenblae community.
Those using mental health and learning disability services will have their care reviewed aalong with the removal of social care transport. Similarly in Learning Disability Day Services, those whose needs can be
supported in training and skills placements or via SDS budgets in the community, are being supported to move on from the traditional day services buildings.
In-house home care will see a streamlined 24/7 service with a focus on delivering a specialist reablement service, end of life care, plus a 24-hour response for some urgent care and support needs. While some individuals will continue receiving care from the in-house team, others will transition to new providers.
The ongoing Aberdeenshire-wide Community Hospital Strategic Review includes the public consultation event for Kincardine Community Hospital on 6 November.
Meanwhile the report states: ”The X-ray facility at KCH currently operates on a limited basis, offering appointments one day per week for GP referrals and a monthly orthopaedic clinic, restricted to plain x-rays only. As part of NHS Grampian’s annual Capital Equipment Programme review, the x-ray equipment—installed in 1998—was formally declared end-of-life by the manufacturer, with no further support or parts available, rendering it unsuitable for continued clinical use. Due to the low activity levels and limited operating hours, replacement of the equipment was deemed unsustainable, and the facility will be decommissioned from February 2026. The Radiology Department are working to mitigate the impact through the introduction of mobile x-ray provision at KCH, pending wider system and community service planning.”
Forest View is to host an independent living hub – a space showcasing how technology-enabled care can help people live indepndently. The hub is to be launched on November 6.
The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee meets in Viewmount, tomorrow, Tuesday October 28 at 9.30am. The full agenda along with all reports etc are available online.
Feature image – Kincardine Community Hospital is now under review