Stonehaven's Hospital Under Review

Added at 18:52 on 26 October 2025

What Is Happening?

Nine Community facilities across Aberdeenshire are now under formal review by Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership (AHSCP). The consultation is part of a long-term plan to reshape local healthcare — and Kincardine Community Hospital is on the list.

The official language AHSCP is using talks about “modernisation” and “optimisation,” and “service redesign” but many residents are asking: what does that really mean for us? Could it lead to fewer services or complete loss of services — or even, worst case scenario, the potential loss of something the community has quietly relied on for years, Stonehavens hospital?

We’ve Seen This Before

When the Invercarron Resource Centre was repurposed by AHSCP without any public consultation, thirty community groups lost a vital facility. In particular older residents suffered a temendous loss because a vital hub for connection, wellbeing, and support quite simply vanished into thin air. Groups scattered. Some folded. The impact is still being felt and it will not be forgotten nor will the way that AHSCP treated the Community. That decision was made really quickly — and without the community’s voice. We can’t afford to be caught off guard like that again.

What Kincardine Offers

Kincardine Community Hospital is one of the most important healthcare assets in our area — but many people don’t realise just how much it provides. It delivers over 25 essential services to more than 41,000 people across Kincardine and Mearns. These include 19 inpatient beds for rehabilitation and palliative care, a GMED out-of-hours base, and a renal dialysis unit — all critical to local care. Outpatient clinics cover dermatology, ophthalmology, urology, obstetrics, and more, supported by X-ray, ultrasound, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and telemedicine. Community services coordinated through the hospital include district nursing, midwifery (antenatal and postnatal), health visiting, mental health support, and social work. These services work together to keep care local, reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals, and help people recover, manage conditions, and stay well at home.

And it’s not just about treatments. Kincardine offers something quieter but just as important: familiarity, dignity, and support. It’s where people recover close to family and friends. Where staff know your name. Where care feels personal, not distant. These things help people cope during very trying times. They make hard times a little easier. And without scaremongering once any of the above has gone, you’ll never get them back.

What You Must Do

There’s a consultation happening now. It’s our chance to shape what happens next — but it only works if we show up and make ourselves heard. You can do that in two ways:

Drop-in Consultation
Stonehaven Community Centre
Thursday, 6th November
3:00pm – 7:00pm
Please try to attend, if we can overwhelm the event with numbers of people it will be a very earlier indicator to AHSCP of the depth of support for KCH.

Online Survey

Available now via the Aberdeenshire Engage website and on the Stonehaven and District Community Council website.

Community Hospitals in Aberdeenshire | Engage Aberdeenshire

Stonehaven & District Community Council | Consultations

We may not yet know what lies ahead for Kincardine Community Hospital. The plans are still being shaped — and that’s exactly why it’s critical the community is involved from the outset. This is the moment to make our views known, to shape what matters, and to help shape the future of local care.

The Health and Social Care Partnership says it wants to listen. Let’s take them at their word — and give them something worth listening to. Honest feedback. Real experiences. Practical ideas. Cooperation doesn’t mean staying quiet. It means showing up, speaking clearly, and making sure Stonehaven’s needs are on the table from day one.