About
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

We want to deliver “The healthiest life possible for the people of Ayrshire & Arran.”

NHS Ayrshire & Arran provides a comprehensive range of high quality health services. Our diverse workforce provides health care to a population of around 400,000. We also have a duty to protect and improve public health throughout Ayrshire and Arran. Our expenditure in 2008/2009 was around £655 million.

We are committed to involving local communities and partners in shaping health services to meet the needs of the people of Ayrshire and Arran. Therefore as a board we are exploring how we can transform relationships with patients, families and the wider community so that they can be significant influencers of the future of service design & delivery.

Other key strategic developments the board is committed to achieving relate to the integration of care so that patients receive a seamless service, the strengthening of Primary Care & Community services, and the roll out of a continuous improvement ethos to all parts of the organization. The development of our 3 Community Health Partnerships is an important vehicle for delivering these key goals.

We have a rolling programme of investment in modern hospitals and community facilities. A new facility at Ayrshire Central for mental health services has recently been agreed by the board & we are commissioning a new community hospital in Girvan.

Our Hospitals

Crosshouse Hospital

Crosshouse Hospital is NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s largest hospital, which was commissioned in 1982. The hospital, which is situated two miles from Kilmarnock town centre, is a large District General Hospital providing a wide range of services, including paediatric inpatient services. It is also the main Accident and Emergency Centre for North Ayrshire.

The UNICEF-accredited Ayrshire Maternity Unit at Crosshouse Hospital opened in August 2006.

Ayr Hospital

Lying on the southern outskirts of Ayr on the Dalmellington (A713) Road, Ayr Hospital is a General Hospital, which opened in 1991 and was officially opened in June 1992. It provides medical and surgical services on an in-patient, day case and outpatient basis. It is the main A&E service for South Ayrshire. It provides a number of Ayrshire-wide services including vascular surgery, ophthalmology and audiology.

Ayrshire Central Hospital

Ayrshire Central Hospital was opened in 1941 and is situated within Irvine New Town. It currently provides Young Disabled/Rehabilitation services, and a number of assessment beds for Elderly Mental Health Services. Recent years have seen significant developments on the site with a new General Outpatient Department and Rehabilitation Centre. All have excellent facilities with the Rehabilitation Centre being recognised as one of the best in the country. Ayrshire Central will be the site of new Community Hospital planned for the area, as well as a state-of-the-art mental health adult inpatient facility, subject to approval from the Cabinet Secretary of Health and Wellbeing.

Ailsa Hospital

Ailsa Hospital lies on the southern outskirts of Ayr on the Dalmellington (A713) Road, Ayr situated parallel to Ayr Hospital. It currently combines modern clinical accommodation with older mental hospital accommodation. Ailsa Hospital currently provides acute admissions services for South and parts of East Ayrshire and at times for patients from other parts of Ayrshire and Arran. Other services include Continuing Care, IPCU, Rehabilitation, Industrial Therapy and an inpatient Dual Diagnosis and Addictions Assessment and Rehabilitation service at Loudoun House. Elderly mental health services will continue on the Ailsa site once adult inpatient services have relocated to the newly built facility at Ayrshire Central.

Biggart Hospital

Biggart Hospital is situated in Prestwick, close to all local amenities and public transport and is the local hospital for the care and rehabilitation of the elderly. It provides a wide range of vascular, orthopaedic and stroke Consultant led rehabilitation inpatient and day care facilities.

The 30-bed day hospital provides facilities to care for patients after discharge from acute care or directly from the community setting. The purpose-built Stroke Rehabilitation Unit was opened in September 1993, enhancing support and continuing patient care within the medical unit, providing 15 beds for stroke patients requiring varying degrees of rehabilitation.