Holyrood View - Securing a strong future for important hospital

For communities in Brechin, Montrose, Laurencekirk, Forfar, and all our rural villages in between, it represents outstanding, compassionate, and local care, where people either work there or know someone who does.

I know how important Stracathro is.

Having heard so many personal stories of the exceptional care provided there, as well as concerns raised by constituents about the range of services available, provision at Stracathro Hospital is one of my priority focuses for the next five years that I represent you at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh.

I have already been in meetings with both NHS Tayside and NHS Grampian, who remain keen to utilise the facility, albeit with different clinical models across their respective board areas.

Stracathro operates as a planned elective care centre rather than an acute hospital with emergency facilities, meaning patient eligibility is carefully determined by clinical risk factors to ensure lower-risk procedures can be performed safely on-site.

Within that vital safety framework, it remains essential to prioritise regional funding so that suitable planned care can be delivered at Stracathro to alleviate pressure when major acute sites like Aberdeen Royal Infirmary or Ninewells are overwhelmed.

I raised Stracathro directly in the debating chamber asking First Minister John Swinney about his commitment to Stracathro Hospital.

Having fought for the hospital himself over the years, the First Minister understands just how vital it is for people in the north-east of Scotland.

His response was hugely encouraging.

He highlighted Stracathro's strategic position serving both NHS Tayside and NHS Grampian, and endorsed its potential to play a greater role in the planned-care model developed through the National Treatment Centre programme.

By carrying out more planned procedures locally for eligible patients, we can get people the care they need much sooner, while easing the heavy strain on Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Ninewells in Dundee.

Importantly, the Scottish Government confirmed in August that NHS Grampian and NHS Tayside have a joint intention to develop high-volume, single-procedure lists at Stracathro, although those arrangements are not yet in place.

I am committed to securing a strong and sustainable future for Stracathro Hospital. I will continue to engage with the Scottish Government, NHS Tayside, and NHS Grampian to ensure that the hospital's full potential is recognised and utilised for the benefit of patients across Angus and Mearns.

Dawn Black is the SNP MSP for Angus North and Mearns.

She was elected to the constituency following the Scottish Parliament election in May this year, succeeding SNP colleague Mairi Gougeon.

She held the seat for the SNP with a majority of 3,250.

Ms Black went on to represent the Angus constituency after serving the Stonehaven and Lower Deeside ward on Aberdeenshire Council.