Work has started on converting the old existing Doctor’s House in Tarbert into a dental surgery and health hub.
The building contract has been won by O’Mac Construction.
Currently, there is no dentist based in Tarbert. Islanders have to travel to a temporary clinic in Scalpay though a number of patients prefer to get treatment in Stornoway.
Western Isles Health Board had to stop the dentist service in the Old Hostel in Tarbert after being evicted by the Comhairle in 2011. The building was knocked down to make way for the new school.
The health board was told the Comhairle’s development department prefers to keep the old house because of its character.
Renovations are set to cost around £433,500. The health board decided against building a new single storey timber frame clinic which would cost about £60,000 more.
The existing building has not been inhabited for a number of years though one room is used as a consulting room accessed from the attached GP’s surgery.
Reception services would be shared with the existing surgery and allows patients’ services to be expanded, effectively creating a ‘Health Hub’ in Harris when it opens in March 2015.
Two dental surgeries are being created – one of which will be used as a training
facility. There will also be an additional multi-
The local GP Practice, which is attached to the Doctor’s House, will be renovated
as part of the project so that the building becomes one multi-
The GP Practice will temporarily relocate for a three-
The garden area to the front of the building will be developed to provide 14 off-
