What are the plans for former Kingussie hospital’s money?
There are hopes that there may soon be some clarity over a 25-year-old legacy of more than £300,000 which was to have been invested in St Vincent’s Hospital in Kingussie.
As the derelict building rots away, Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes (SNP) has confirmed that she is to meet with NHS Highland and local community representatives to discuss the controversy.
A spokesperson for Ms Forbes told the Strathy: “Kate is hoping to meet with members of NHS Highland and Kingussie and Vicinity Community Council to discuss this matter in early May.”
In September, last year, the Strathy reported the concern of the Badenoch community over the whereabouts of a bequest of more than £310,000.The money had been left to the hospital by an American, Theresa Burall of Seattle, who wanted to thank the hospital for the way it had looked after two of her friends in the strath with such kindness.
Supporters of the hospital - from a variety of local organisations including the Badenoch capital’s medical practice - have been seeking answers over precisely where the money has gone and how much is left.
They also wanted assurances that the spirit of the bequest would be respected.They are standing firm in their belief the money should be spent in Badenoch even though it could no longer be invested in the Kingussie hospital.
NHS Highland closed the building in 2021 when the new £20m Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital opened in Aviemore.
To the locals’ chagrin the target area for the funds has since been increased, on application, through charity regulator OSCR to include Strathspey.
Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act, the Strathy asked for clarity on the bequest.But the response has posed more questions than answers, with references to thousands of words minuted during many years of committee meetings.
NHS Highland Freedom of Information officer Heather Campbell explained: “The Highland Health Board Endowment Funds charity does not fund core functions which the NHS is obliged to provide to the public, and the board of NHS Highland does not direct the charity’s activities i.e. what trustees fund.
“Please be advised that as a charity, the HHB Endowment Funds are exempt under FOISA however in the interest of transparency and good governance the charity publishes a range of information about their work online. The summary notice of the reorganisation of funds request to OSCR was publicly accessible during the required publication period stipulated by OSCR.
“The Burall Fund was utilised in line with the charitable objectives of the HHB Endowment Fund Charity. Between 2017 – 2021 the fund supported expenditure on medical equipment, patient welfare and amenities and workforce welfare and amenities“
Publicly available records of value of the Burall Legacy are contained within the annual accounts of the HHB Endowment Fund Charity.”
Responding for the local campaigners, Ian Moffett asked: “Is it usual for such replies just to send you all public records without in anyway trying to spotlight the answer to the questions asked?“
As to changing the area of expenditure, the NHS/trust took no steps to advise any other party of the intention to make the application.
“They left it that the only notice would be on the OSCR website. In terms of those regulations it appears that only this extremely limited notice is required. I find this completely unacceptable.
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“There is provision for objections to OSCR and several were made in this case.
“However providing for objections on such poverty of notice makes a mockery of the purported objections system.
“This allows such matters to appear to be dealt with behind closed doors and without any relevant public scrutiny which cannot be in the public interest. This must be a lacuna in the legislation.”
These are the references given to the Strathy by NHS Highland:
• The publicly available records of discussions relating to the Burall legacy during the redesign of health services in Badenoch and Strathspey are accessible at https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/about/service-redesign/badenoch-and-strathspey-health-and-social-care-redesign/
• Records of discussions by the trustees of the Highland Health Board Endowment Fund Charity on the legacy are at: https://www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk/about/board-and-committee-meetings/endowment-funds-committee-meetings/
