A NEW health centre in Port Glasgow has moved a step closer after Scotland's health secretary set out her plans for investing in hubs across Scotland aimed at reducing the need for hospital visits.
Angela Constance told MSPs at Holyrood that changes to national capital funding projects means that new community hubs being piloted across Scotland are now taking priority.
The new Port Glasgow facility will be among the first of the new hubs, each one of which is aimed at providing a range of services, along with general practice, including out patient services in the community.
Inverclyde's MSP, Stuart McMillan, has welcomed the announcement after years of talks on the need to replace the current Port Glasgow health centre - a building that , as long ago as 2022, was being described by local residents as 'no longer fit for purpose'.
Pressure has been growing on government and health chiefs to fund a new health centre, which was first singled out as a priority by the MSP in the run up to the 2021 election and a point of contention in the campaign for May's Holyrood poll.
Mr McMillan said: "The cabinet secretary outlined investment in community health hubs, which will bring together services such as general practice, community nursing, mental healthcare, diagnostics and out-patient services in modern facilities closer to home.
“These hubs will make it easier for patients to access co-ordinated care in a single place, reducing the need to travel to hospital.
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“I am delighted that Port Glasgow has been earmarked as one of the locations for the first phase of investment in these new hubs.
"This is consistent with the Budget announcement earlier this year, so is showing delivery on that commitment."
Earlier this year the government said Port Glasgow would be one of three new pilot hubs to be built using a new funding initiative known as the Mutual Investment Model.
In her statement the health secretary said that a decision to halt plans for a new large scale replacement for Monklands Hospital in North Lanarkshire means that capital has been freed up for more community hubs instead.
She said: "By taking a different approach, in addition to investing in services that serve the people of Lanarkshire, we can invest more broadly.
"Central to that will be investment in community health hubs, which will bring together services such as general practice, community nursing, mental healthcare, diagnostics and out-patient services in modern facilities closer to home.
"The hubs will make it easier for patients to access co-ordinated care in a single place, reducing the need to travel to hospital.
"We have set out the first phase of investment in the hubs in Port Glasgow, Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly, and East Calder.
"We will use those projects to deliver a standardised model for further centres.
"For patients, that will mean quicker access, earlier intervention and more care delivered in the community. For the wider system, it will reduce pressure on acute hospitals, allowing focus on those who need specialist care most."
Mr McMillan added: “With a new Health Secretary in place looking at all funding bids, I am pleased this meeting is taking pace and dialogue for investment continues.
“I look forward to hearing the outcome of that meeting and learning more about plans for a community health hub in Port Glasgow.”
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