NHS Fife closing three buildings in £650k saving move

NHS Fife's closing three buildings as it tries to save 7% across the organisation.

Starting from the end of the month it'll be shutting Hayfield, Haig and Cameron Houses on a phased basis.

All are administration buildings and won't impact day to day operations as affected staff will hot desk or work from home. 

The move will save the healthboard about £650,000 a year.

An NHS Fife spokesperson said: "Following the Scottish Government’s budget announcement, we have been working diligently to revise financial plans and create the necessary framework of re-form and transformation to deliver the required savings, which we currently anticipate being around 7% across the organisation.

"NHS Fife has conducted a comprehensive review of building occupancy rates and working patterns across our estate, last week we informed staff based in Hayfield, Haig, and Cameron Houses that there would be a phased closure of these office-based sites starting from the end of March.

"This phased closure of administration buildings does not impact on clinical services and the anticipated savings of closing these buildings will be around £650,000 per year, realised through reduced utilities, maintenance costs, and business rates.

"Post-Covid we have seen daily occupancy rates drop at these sites with many teams and individuals adopting an agile-working approach. People impacted by the phased closures will continue to work agilely or utilise a network of dedicated hot-desking locations across our estate. Staff who are unable to work from home, will be supported to find individual solutions."

It comes after plans to build replacement health centres in Kincardine and Lochgelly were paused, in some cases until at least 2026 in some cases.

It's because they have been put on hold for at least two years after the Scottish Government said there is no money available for them and other projects across the country.