St Andrews GPs thank patients for their patience

A car crashed into the practice offices at St Andrews Community Hospital in the early hours of June 9, leaving structural, fire and water damage after it burst into flames.

After operating a three-day a week service the practice is now trying to run a full-time service.

Louise Buchan, the practice’s business manager, explained that the incident had affected an entire wing of 11 consulting rooms as well as utility rooms and offices.

Fire also damaged all of the electrical based systems to the area including power, telephone, IT and all safety detection systems.

“The support from the rest of the Community Hospital, as well as NHS Fife, has been tremendous and the practice is using borrowed consulting rooms within other areas of the hospital,” she said.

In addition the administration office has been relocated to a meeting room.

At present the practice team doesn’t expect to be back in its original space until the end of the year, although Ms Buchan is optimistic of being back in some consulting rooms in September.

“In the meantime the practice would like to assure their patients that it will continue to do its utmost under these extremely difficult circumstances to offer the highest possible provision of quality care,” she added, “but would ask for your continued patience and understanding during the period of reconstruction works.”

Although the Pipeland Medical Practice premises were empty at the time of the incident, patients and staff had to be evacuated from the hospital. No patients or staff were injured as a result of the accident.