Orkney public back Scapa site for new hospital

January 30, 2014 at 11:58 am

In what is thought to be the greatest response to any consultation ever to take place in the islands, the public have spoken to NHS Orkney, with 80 percent of just over 5900 responses backing the Scapa option for the location of the replacement to the Balfour Hospital.

With the second period of public consultation on the issue now at an end, added to the fact that on Tuesday Orkney Islands Council made the decision to offer financial support to NHS Orkney to the tune of £1.5 million towards infrastructure costs for a hospital, means that the final decision on the site for the new hospital looks to be only days away, with a meeting on the issue set to take place in public next Tuesday, February 4.

Describing the latest developments as a “huge step” NHS Orkney chief executive Cathie Cowan said this week it is now hoped that a recommendation can be made to the board of NHS Orkney on the site selection in the coming days.

Full details in The Orcadian, out today.