HEALTH bosses are considering closing Ayr and Crosshouse Hospitals and merging them under ONE roof.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran face a huge £77.8m repair bill and chiefs are desperate to reduce maintenance costs.

Planners predict Crosshouse would need a total of £190m over the course of 20 years so starting from scratch would make more sense.

The health board are selling off old properties to make a big buck and try and plug the black hole.

MSP John Scott is now seeking a meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Health Shona Robison after the Advertiser contacted him about the shock idea.

MSP John Scott said: “I would strongly oppose any move to centralise Ayrshire’s general hospital services on a single site.

“Given the justifiable uproar several years ago over plans to close accident and emergency services at Ayr Hospital, I believe local people will hold similar reservations.

“Rather than merging local hospitals, I think it is more important that the range of services available at Ayr Hospital should be expanded and include a specialist cancer unit, which was previously abandoned.” The health board’s huge maintenance bill is 10 per cent above the country’s average.

Worse for wear wards need work on electrics, heating and water systems.

A fifth of all problems relate to Ayr Hospital but 43 per cent of issues affect the Crosshouse site.

Both buildings are in the course of receiving major investment to make them fit for purpose but much more is required in the long-term.

All plans have been outlined in the health board’s Property and Asset Management Strategy (PAMS) for 2016, which has been sent to the government.

The report said: “With the increase in community based services the need to maintain two District General Hospitals will require to be assessed. Given both sites are continuing to age at some point in the future it may be a more viable option to reprovide the remaining acute service within one purpose built facility.” John Wright, NHS Ayrshire and Arran director for corporate support services said: “NHS Ayrshire & Arran has two district general hospitals. University Hospital Ayr is 24 years old and University Hospital Crosshouse is 34 years old. Planning for their future is a long-term strategy.

“As set out in the PAMs, which was endorsed by Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board in June 2015, significant investment will be needed to maintain University Hospital Crosshouse over the coming years. Therefore, it is a priority to plan for the future. “We have no plans to build a new district general hospital in Ayrshire.” Meanwhile chiefs expect to make £8.6m from property sales, which include sites in East and North Ayrshire.

Nightingale House on Ayr’s Doonfoot Road, is on the market for £250,000. The former Healthfield clinic site is being touted for £950,000.

Boyd Street Clinic in Prestwick was sold for £150,000 in February and Strathdoon House on Racecourse Road brought in £565,000 last year.