Banchory hospital gardens to be tidied up

Local councillors have welcomed news that a Banchory hospital's much-loved gardens will be tidied up by the spring.

Work will be undertaken at the Glen O'Dee Hospital gardens.

The Scolty in-patient dementia ward at Glen O'Dee is closing temporarily due to a lack of staff.

Banchory councillor Ann Ross and Upper Deeside representative Sarah Brown have been informed a number of improvements will be made to the 12-bed ward while it's closed.

And this will include tending the overgrown garden following complaints by relatives of inpatients.

Cllr Ross said: "I have had meetings with the Health and Social Care Partnership who assured me that the closure is only temporary. The Scolty ward is merging with the Morven ward due to a staff shortage and to allow service improvements and environmental improvements to be made.

"I asked whether the garden could be revamped and was told that there is a schedule of improvement work agreed for the garden from now until Spring 2023. This is really good news."

Cll r Brown said: "Scolty is an invaluable place for local people with dementia, because of proximity to loved ones and their own homes.

"Staff shortages are a serious problem in the Deeside corridor especially because not enough doctors, nurses and health care assistants are being recruited for the north east of Scotland.

"But we have been assured that this closure is only a temporary situation. And it is welcome that Glen O'Dee is in line for some sprucing up, meantime."