Alex Rowley, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife, says affected communities are being betrayed with the lack of commitment to build the much needed facilities which were initially promised years ago.
The Labour politician had written to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray MSP asking for an update and calling on promises made over the last decade to be honoured.
However, in his response, Mr Gray cited the “continued challenge and uncertainty in the capital funding position”, rising construction costs and reductions to capital funding as reasons for the Scottish Government being unable to commit to all the project they might wish to.
Mr Rowley said this comes despite promises over the last decade from the Scottish Government that these projects would be delivered.
Campaigners have been fighting for a new health centre in Lochgelly for over a decade. (Image: David Wardle) “Communities in Fife have been promised these new centres for years now and NHS Fife have been working with communities to plan these appropriately, so the Health Secretary’s response to my concerns is disappointing to say the least,” he said.
“What is clear to me from the mealy-mouthed response is that the Scottish Government has no intention of delivering on the promises it has made to these communities for over a decade now.
“We need functional and modern health centres, not only to treat those in need but to recruit and retain GPs in an area already experiencing issues with GP access.
“These facilities have already been deemed not fit for purpose by NHS Fife and even the former First Minister made clear the need for these projects to go ahead.
“After the commitments of the Scottish Government, Ministers, and MSPs who made delivery of these health centres key to their election campaigns, the people of Lochgelly and Kincardine will rightly feel anger and betrayal at the abandonment of these projects.
READ MORE: Scottish Government urged to provide cash for new Fife health centres
“I am calling on the Scottish Government to honour the commitments it has made – they have the funding, and they now need to make that funding available to NHS Fife and get these facilities built.”
A new Kincardine health centre has been in the pipeline for several years with the existing facility deemed not fit for purpose.
In Lochgelly, it’s 13 years since a new health centre was promised but it’s been repeatedly delayed and last year hopes were dashed when the Scottish Government revealed that they were delaying their funding until “the second half of the decade” because capital projects were under review and there wouldn’t be any money for either facility until at least the “second half of the decade”.
In his response to Mr Rowley, Mr Gray said their longer-term investment plans remain under review until the UK Government’s Spending Review is published.
“We are working with all health boards, including NHS Fife to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan,” he said.
“We know that the NHS estate is ageing and that it is not affordable to replace everything as quickly as we might like to.
“The whole-system NHS infrastructure plan will consider infrastructure needs for the whole of Scotland and support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.”
The case for a new health centre in Kincardine was this week also raised in the UK Parliament by Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie.
Graeme Downie MP (Image: Contributed) “The question for the SNP is what will they do now that they have run out of excuses? I would hope that they would use the power and funds they have to take action, like finally making good on a promise to build a new health centre in Kincardine that was promised more than 10 years ago.”
Also backing the call for cash to be made available, Glenrothes and Mid Fife MP Richard Baker added: “The UK government has made funding available and I would expect SNP ministers to honour their commitments to Lochgelly and Kincardine by ensuring the funding is now put in place to build the much needed health facilities.
“Dr Brian Robson from the Lochgelly practice took me on a tour of the health centre recently and the state of the building is nothing short of shocking. The situation for staff and patients is desperate.
“Despite being well aware of this, the Scottish Government continues to deflect and delay, with Neil Gray now claiming the current situation is ‘financially challenging’.
“That’s an untenable position given UK Labour Government has delivered Scotland an extra £4.9bn of funds for this year and next – the biggest post-devolution settlement in history.
“Instead of a letter containing lots of words with little substance, Lochgelly, Kincardine and Fife deserve action. No more excuses.”