The rural area of Aberdeenshire is served by GPs and health clinics, which can be found in most of the small towns, such as Inverurie, just outside Aberdeen, as well as communities further afield including Peterhead, Ellon and Huntly. These family doctors and health centres will be able to deal with all the minor, day-to-day ailments, such as coughs and colds, and some may even be able to provide minor surgical treatments. Specialist nurses and other staff working in these rural centres will also be able to offer advice on a wide range of subjects-from ante-natal care to snoring treatment.
The main hospital used by Aberdeenshire residents for more serious problems and conditions is actually in the city of Aberdeen, which can potentially be a long way from where the patient lives. Local health clinics in Aberdeenshire communities have to be able to adapt and provide the widest range of services possible, to allow people to be treated close to home. Of course, many treatments can only be carried out in the safe and sterile atmosphere of a hospital. If you have been injured in an accident or need surgery to stop snoring, it is unlikely that an Aberdeenshire family doctor will be able to do much to help. Instead, patients will be referred to one of the Aberdeen hospitals or, in certain cases, Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin. Although this is a smaller hospital and doesn’t offer the range of procedures and facilities that can be found at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, routine surgeries, out-patient clinics and maternity services are all available here, much closer to rural parts of Aberdeenshire.
There are several Community Hospitals throughout Aberdeenshire. The Private Clinic is not currently in this location. These are hospitals that in the past offered the full range of services, but can now only offer minor surgeries, such as the procedure to stop snoring, minor injuries units, which can in some cases be used instead of A&E, and out-patient services like ante-natal care, geriatrics and psychiatry. If you are on a long NHS waiting list for a surgery or procedure, there are a number of private hospitals and clinics in the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire area. Again, the private hospitals in this rural area are limited in what they can offer and patients may find themselves having to travel elsewhere in Scotland for more complicated procedures.
Comments