Politics / Government to look ‘more closely’ at new hospital project as part of budget deal
THE SCOTTISH Government will look “much more closely” at the Gilbert Bain Hospital replacement project following budget negotiations with the Liberal Democrats, the party says.
Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart said the Scottish Government has “shown willingness to listen and respond to Liberal Democrat priorities”.
The Scottish budget for 2025/26 passed its stage one vote at parliament on Tuesday.
As the SNP does not have a majority within parliament it has had to negotiate with other parties to secure enough support for it to pass.
One of these were the Lib Dems, with Wishart hailing the impact her party has had on the budget process.
“Throughout the process of negotiations on the Scottish budget Scottish Liberal Democrats have made clear that meaningful measures needed to be addressed to improve lives across Scotland,” she said.
“After 17 years of mismanagement by the SNP we wanted to see real change in health, social care, housing and transport.”
Although she said the budget “not perfect”, Wishart said the government has responded to Lib Dem priorities including increased local government funding, and more support for people living with Long Covid.
“That’s why my colleagues and I are supporting it and we’ll continue to press ministers to deliver on their commitments and seek further improvements where needed,” she said.
“Shetland will see more funding for inter-island connectivity, and there has been an acknowledgement from government of the community feeling about tunnels.
“Ahead of the Infrastructure Investment Plan, we’ve also persuaded the Scottish Government to look much more closely at the project to replace the Gilbert Bain Hospital.”
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said there was now a “line of sight”, through the infrastructure investment plan, to replace the Gilbert Bain, as well as some other projects like a new school in Cupar and a railway station in Fife.
He added: “My party and its members will keep fighting to propel those projects to the top of the to-do list, and none more so than Beatrice Wishart, in her pursuit of the new hospital that Shetland so desperately needs.
“That hospital serves not only the isles but many of the industries that operate in the North Sea, as their first point of call-in emergencies.”
The project to explore the possibility of a new hospital for Shetland was put on hold last year amid financial challenges within the government.
NHS Shetland had been exploring options for a replacement Gilbert Bain Hospital, and no final decision has been made.
If a new build is approved, its construction would still be some years away.
The Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick has been operating in its current form since the 1960s and there is little opportunity to keep up with modern standards.
In November NHS Shetland said some “immediate work” was needed on the hospital, although surveys found the building is “not unsafe structurally”.
Elsewhere in the budget Shetland Islands Council will receive an additional £10 million for inter-island connectivity – with improving ferry resilience already touted as a possible sensible use of the money.
There is also a commitment in the budget to provide free inter-island ferry travel for under 22s.
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