LOCHMADDY Hospital has finally passed from the hands of the Western Isles Health Board, after being on the market for five years.
NHS Western Isles has confirmed that the building was sold to London Shetland Securities Ltd – a company on which there is little information available, apart from a registered office address on Rose Street in Aberdeen.
Locals have expressed dissa
tisfaction at the Health Board's failure to keep them involved and informed about the sale and the future incarnation of the hospital. Rumoured possible uses for the building range from turning it into a hotel to using it as an outdoor centre – both of which locals feel there are enough of in Lochmaddy.
"What the community want to know is who's bought it and what are their plans," said Peter Rintoul, Health Board member and chairman of the North Uist Community Council.
"When the hospital closed, the Health Board at the time said that would work with the community and keep them informed, and that hasn't happened. I understand that the current board were not obliged to do that, but you would hope that they would have upheld that promise.
"Being a small community, we feel let down and betrayed," he added. "It's not good enough."
Mr Rintoul has written to Chairman John MacKay to express his dissatisfaction at the board's lack of consultation with the community on the sale.
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