NHS Fife has been working for a number of years with our partners and local communities to develop plans for two new purpose-built Community Health and Wellbeing Centres in Lochgelly and Kincardine.
An Initial Agreement Document (IAD) for the replacement of the existing centres was approved by Scottish Government in January 2020, with outline business cases submitted in June 2022, for consideration by the Scottish government’s Capital Investment Group.
Following assessment from the Scottish Government’s Capital Investment Group additional detail was sought, which was subsequently provided by NHS Fife in support of our project and funding bid. NHS Fife has been asked to re-submit the outline business cases with additional detail incorporated which should be completed by April.
NHS Fife is committed to delivering these centres and is continuing to work with our partners to ensure best value and to secure appropriate planning permissions. We also continue to be in regular dialogue with the Scottish Government to clarify project and funding timescales in relation to the submission of the full business case.
In the Scottish Parliament last week, Minister for Public Health, Women's Health and Sport, Marie Todd MSP, reaffirmed Scottish government’s commitment to replacing the centres but confirmed that, due to the phased approach for funding capital projects, resources will likely be provided in the second half of this decade.
NHS Fife’s Director of Public Health, Dr Joy Tomlinson, said:
“NHS Fife remains committed to delivering the two new community health and wellbeing centres in Lochgelly and Kincardine and working with the Scottish Government to secure funding for the project.
“This important project will enable us to bring together a range of health and wellbeing services – from GP practices and social care to community and voluntary services. This will allow us to deliver healthcare services with an emphasis on wellbeing and prevention in the heart of these communities.
“Work is already underway to prepare the full business case, however, as stated last week in Parliament, we have been advised that Scottish Government is adopting a phased approach to capital expenditure.
“We have been advised, therefore, that funding is unlikely to be released for the Lochgelly and Kincardine projects within the initially anticipated timescales and we remain in dialogue with the Scottish Government to clarify the project funding timeframe.”
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