A new chapter in health and fitness has begun at Seamill Hydro Hotel, with the official opening of Hydro Health Club Phase 1. The development marks a significant investment by the RAD Hotel Group  and introduces a modern training environment designed for both hotel guests and the wider community. Phase 1 brings a purpose built health and performance space equipped with world leading Technogym equipment, alongside intelligent training zones that support a broad range of fitnes

The Quay Zone (TQZ) leisure facility in Girvan is set to re-open its doors on Friday 23 January. Image - Quay Zone The facility, which was closed following major storm damage in 2024, has undergone a complete overhaul culminating in a phase 1 reopening of the swimming pool, fitness suite and gym. TQZ will be operating 7 days a week. Customers will be able use the gym's brand-new Pulse Fitness cardio, resistance and free weight equipment. The fitness studio has also been impro

NHS 24 staff worked tirelessly to ensure services ran smoothly during one of the busiest New Year periods on record. Despite high demand, teams across Scotland delivered safe, effective care and demonstrated extraordinary commitment to patients. On 2 January alone, NHS 24 answered over 10,000 calls, a figure among the highest daily totals ever recorded.   In the North East, heavy snowfall created significant travel challenges, but colleagues in Aberdeen and Dundee refused to

South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) are delighted to announce the appointment of Gary Hoey as the new Head of Children's Health, Care and Justice Services for South Ayrshire following an intensive assessment centre and panel interview process. Gary has worked in Social Work and Education for over 30 years, predominately within South Ayrshire. He will be taking up this role following three years as Chief Social Work Officer for South Ayrshire. In his role

Santa Claus made an early stop in Ayrshire this Christmas with special visits to children and families spending the festive season in hospital. Santa with patient Kyle He visited the Children’s Ward at University Hospital Crosshouse, meeting young patients and their families, before continuing on to the Ayrshire Maternity Unit, including the Neonatal and Maternity Wards. Santa also visited Rainbow House at Ayrshire Central Hospital in Irvine. Extra precautions were taken duri

Pharmacies Open in Ayrshire Over Christmas and Boxing Day With GP practices across Ayrshire and Arran closed on Thursday 25 December 2025 (Christmas Day) and Friday 26 December 2025 (Boxing Day), residents are being advised to plan ahead and know where to turn for healthcare advice and support over the festive period. Some community pharmacies will remain open on a limited basis and can offer advice on minor illnesses, medicines, and treatment options. Pharmacies are often th

Berelands House, located in the coastal town of Prestwick, has become Renaissance Care's 19 th home after it was sold by The Priory Group.   The chain, founded by Scottish entrepreneur Dr Robert Kilgour, operates care homes across Scotland, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayr, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Blairgowrie, Inverness, and Moray.    Yvonne Richardson, Renaissance Care's Operations Director, said: “With over 20 years of experience, our vision is to deliver high-quality, p

More than 2,000 people in Ayrshire and Arran are waiting for a cardiac appointment.  The findings are detailed in Public Health Scotland’s Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme 2025, published last month.   The most recent data, for June this year, shows 2,403 people on the outpatient waiting list for cardiology, down from 2,574 in June 2024. That list is typically for people waiting for a consultation regarding an appointment with a cardiologist. The Scottish Government’s wait ti

Seamill Hydro unveils plans for new Technogym-powered health club Ayrshire’s Seamill Hydro has released the first images of its new purpose-built Technogym-powered gym and mixed-fitness facility, which is set to become one of Scotland’s leading independent health clubs. In what is being described as a Scottish first, the fitness facility will be the first in the country to feature Technogym’s new Sand Stone Collection. The Italian design-led range of high-performance cardio a

96,000 carers in Scotland to receive payments from today SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has highlighted that carers in South Ayrshire are set to get a welcome boost to their finances ahead of Christmas.   More than 96,000 carers across Scotland will receive the Carer’s Allowance Supplement payment with money being paid into accounts from today (Thursday 4 th December). The Carer's Allowance Supplement is an extra payment of £293.50, currently made twice a year, for people in Scotlan

Keeping your loved ones safe - Visiting restrictions across all sites Like many Health Boards across Scotland, NHS Ayrshire & Arran is seeing a sharp rise in viral respiratory infections, including flu. This is placing significant pressure on our hospitals. To protect patients, visitors, and staff, we have made the difficult decision to suspend routine visiting across all hospitals from Thursday 4 December. Only essential visits will be supported. We will review the situation

Girvan Library is celebrating national recognition after its Lend and Mend Hub Initiative was named the winner of the Project Excellence 2025 category at this year’s Scottish Library and Information Council Awards. The award highlights an initiative that has made a meaningful difference to local residents by promoting sustainability, learning and practical support within the community. The Lend and Mend Hub has become a valuable resource, offering tools, equipment, repair adv

University Hospital Crosshouse’s Chemotherapy Ward has received a new medical device designed to make treatment more comfortable, thanks to a fundraising effort led by local resident June Murphy. Left to right: Ward staff pictured with Shauni sitting in chair and June far right June launched the appeal to support family friend Shauni Lambie, 30, from Stevenston, who has been receiving treatment for Hodgkin’s lymphoma at the hospital for more than three years. After witnessing

Ayrshire Maternity Unit has received a donation of £10,785 from Olivia Bentham and her partner Daniel Young to support its bereavement services. Left to right: Senior Charge Midwife Gillian, Olivia and Daniel and Midwife, Rachel Coleman The Irvine couple launched their ‘Giving Back for Bowie’ fundraiser earlier this year in honour of their son, Bowie. Daniel, alongside some family members, completed the Scottish Half Marathon in June, raising £6,150. A charity night held duri

Do you want to prevent your old or unused bras from going to landfill? Well look no further than the new bra recycling station at Saltcoats Library. The local North Ayrshire library is calling on members of the public to donate bras via a new and convenient bra recycling point, located at the library reception to raise vital funds for secondary spread breast cancer research. Introduced in partnership with charity Against Breast Cancer, the recycling station allows Saltcoats L

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has boosted its staffing by bringing in almost 100 new recruits ahead of winter. The extra staff were announced today (Tuesday, 11 November) by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray while visiting the Service’s East Ambulance Control Centre (ACC) in South Queensferry. The new staff include 25 call handlers who are based in the Service’s ambulance control centres and 22 staff, including GPs, clinical advisors and advan

In recognition of World Stroke Day on 29 October 2025, the Physiotherapy Team at University Hospital Crosshouse launched a unique and impactful initiative to raise awareness of stroke symptoms, promote recovery through exercise and remind residents of Ayrshire and Arran to access urgent help if they have any symptoms of stroke. Throughout the month of October, patients in the stroke ward at University Hospital Crosshouse were invited to take part in a cycle challenge using th

A patient at University Hospital Crosshouse was able to see her son marry in a heartwarming ceremony arranged by dedicated hospital staff. Photo: NHS Ayrshire & Arran Carol, from North Ayrshire, who was receiving care on the hospital’s gynaecology ward while in the later stages of cancer, watched proudly as her son James, 38, and his partner Shoni, 30, from South Ayrshire, exchanged vows in an emotional ceremony held on the ward last month. The couple had originally planned t

This year people most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 are being invited to come forward for a vaccine, which will be given along with their seasonal flu shot at the same appointment. Image - Market Chemist Patients being offered both vaccines include adults aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older adults and people aged six months and older who are immunosuppressed. In Ayrshire, letters with appointment details for those being invited to our communi

A network of walk-in GP clinics will open as part of work to improve access to primary care. The clinics, which would be staffed by GPs, nurses and support staff, will be open seven days a week, 12:00-20:00, in addition to existing primary care services. They will provide a range of same-day assessments, diagnostics and treatment. Fifteen clinics in sites across Scotland will proceed initially to test the benefits for patients. Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Improving acce