A MORAY COTTAGE hospital that was under threat of permanent closure after being closed to patients for almost a year in 2011 is again suffering from electrical problems.
Leanchoil Hospital in Forres was forced to close its doors to inpatients in January 2011 because of an electrical failure – now five years later its six patients and accompanying staff have been removed to other hospitals for the same reason.
It has been reported that fuses kept tripping out this week at the nine-bed respite, convalescence, palliative and terminal care hospital. That came a week after the hospital had been evacuated because of an “electrical fault”.
Following similar instances in 2011 it was not until December that year when the hospital reopened for inpatients – ending months of intense speculation over if NHS Grampian would allow it to reopen at all.
At that time a spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: “The reopening of the hospital to inpatient care will increase the options available to this multi-disciplinary team, whose aim is to provide care and support, ensuring patients can return to their own home safely and comfortably as soon as possible.”
Following the latest incident, NHS Grampian have confirmed that staff from the NHS estate and electrical contractors remained at the site – but added that it remained unoccupied of patients and staff and no timetable could be given for when it might reopen.
A spokeswoman said: “The hospital staff are instead working either at Dr Gray’s or in the community across Moray.”