Murdo has welcomed the re-opening of the inpatient ward at Pitlochry Community Hospital but has also stressed the importance of keeping it open.
He was reacting to the announcement from the Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), which will see the ward open again to local residents after it was temporarily closed in early January, due to ‘long-standing’ staffing and recruitment difficulties.
Commenting, Murdo Fraser MSP said: “I very much welcome this news and I’m sure it will be met with relief by local residents. I understand that four inpatient beds will open this month, with the remaining five beds due to open in the autumn. The importance of the ward to the local community cannot be overstated.
“I was very concerned when the ward was temporarily closed back in January as it created a lot of anxiety for many Highland Perthshire residents and meant that many of them were faced with lengthy journeys if they wanted to get inpatient medical treatment.
“That is why it is vital that this ward now stays open and I will be doing all I can to ensure that this is the case.”
