Campaigners fear for future of Stracathro

STRACATHRO Hospital campaigners who led the effort to secure the Angus site’s future almost two decades ago fear the crisis engulfing NHS Tayside may again put the hospital at risk.

Former Angus Provost Ruth Leslie Melville and Margaret Smith were at the forefront of the successful Save Stracathro campaign which brought a 2002 pledge to retain the establishment in what was then hailed a “victory for reason”.

The spotlight turned back on Angus with the ultimately unsuccessful fight to retain the Mulberry adult mental health unit at the Susan Carnegie centre but NHS Tayside bosses have repeatedly stressed the hospital has a secure future, most recently i n January this year when local SNP MSP Mairi Gougeon received assurances over the hospital’s role.

However, both Angus campaigners said the continuing concern over north Angus health provision and the l atest developments which have resulted in the two high-profile Tayside board departures remain a source of worry.

Retired occupational therapist Mrs Smith said: “I am deeply concerned that the wider situation NHS Tayside finds itself in could see Stracathro under threat once again.

“My understanding i s that registrars at Ninewells say they won’t drive to Stracathro, leaving patients with no option but to travel to Ninewells, which has very poor parking facilities.

“Wo r s e s t i l l , s o m e patients that might have expected to be treated at Stracathro are not even being treated at Ninewells but are having to travel even further to Perth.”

Mrs Smith added: “When you think of the effort and work that was put in to save Stracathro, I am simply incensed by the changes and cutbacks that we have seen, brought about by mismanagement.”