Insch - Strategic Needs Assessment

Summer 2023

We are currently engaging with community stakeholders; Friends of Insch Hospital, Bennachie Community Council, Insch Medical Practice, Public Health, Health Improvement Scotland, Community Planning & AVA.

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Insch & Surrounding Area Strategic Needs Assessment

At a meeting on 1 June 2022, the Aberdeenshire Integration Joint Board (IJB) agreed to further develop a ‘wellbeing hub’ and clinical space at the Insch War Memorial Hospital whilst work on a business case for capital investment continues. Furthermore, Officers were instructed to continue working with stakeholders to make arrangements, within existing budget provision, for alternative in-patient facilities, for the area.

Chair of the Integration Joint Board, Rhona Atkinson, said: “This has been a very good piece of work and I would really like to thank officers for the work they have done.

“As an IJB we are all too aware of the increasing demographic, financial and workforce pressures that our services face and we are absolutely committed to working with local communities to ensure that we provide and commission services to meet their needs.”

Vice Chair of the Integration Joint Board, Cllr Anne Stirling, said: “As my colleague has said this has been a comprehensive piece of work and the IJB’s agreement today will see the development of a Wellbeing Hub at the much-loved Insch War Memorial Hospital. Officers will continue to develop the options with the community and stakeholder groups, but this will mean that we are able to deliver a resource for the community to use in the near future whilst we continue to the work on a business case to be presented to Scottish Government for capital funding.”

It is anticipated that the Wellbeing Hub will include space for community groups to meet and deliver wellbeing focused classes and workshops. There will also be space for secondary care clinics to be delivered meaning that people in Insch will not have to travel to access them.

Officers will continue to work on options to deliver in-patient care in the area.

Thank you

We would like to say a big thank you to the community representatives and staff involved in the Option Appraisal for their contribution and commitment. This stage of the process is now complete.

An update on the Insch Strategic Needs Assessment, including the high-level options developed by the stakeholder group, will be reported to the Integration Joint Board on 1 June 2022.

Work will progress to develop the preferred options and hold a public consultation to share information and gain the views of the community.

(All previous information displayed on this page can be found in Archived Documents)