Bid to keep disruption to a minimum at Highlands' biggest hospital
NHS Highland bosses have provided an update on progress which will see major changes and disruption at the region’s biggest hospital.
The work being carried out at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness includes fire improvement works across the wards, the relocation of endoscopy, moving Ward 11 into the tower block, and preparation for the relocation and build of the new children’s ward and outpatient department.
Fire improvement works have already been carried out on the seventh floor of the tower block and the work on the fifth floor is progressing well.
It is hoped Ward 5C and 5B will be completed before Christmas with the ward reoccupied by mid January.
Ward 9 in the hospital has also changed with the area now occupied by two separate wards (Ward 8 and Ward 9) with the relocation of Ward 8 allowing for work to start on providing modernised endoscopy facilities.
Doreen Bell, clinical advisor for the tower block upgrade, explained that the work being done is part of the wider re-design and upgrade of the hospital.
She said: "I’m pleased that we are now able to see completed work and the new layout of the hospital taking shape.
"Work continues in the tower block as part of our fire improvement works. Once the work being carried out on the fifth floor is finished the next ward to start will be Ward 4A with all staff and patients relocating to Ward 7A while it is carried out.
"Work is currently ongoing in the area previously occupied by Ward 8. This will allow us to provide modernised endoscopy facilities to our patients.
"Preparatory work is also underway outside Ward 11 to support a new endoscopy decontamination facility; we are expecting them to be completed by March 2014."
Mrs Bell explained that future plans for the hospital will see Ward 11 (Respiratory) eventually move into the sixth floor, the new children’s unit move to Ward 11 and all critical care facilities will be co-located together.
She said: "We are working very closely with the construction team to ensure disruption is kept to an absolute minimum. The care of our patients remains our priority at all times but some inconvenience is unavoidable.
"Planning for this work started a long time ago and involved full discussion with all staff groups and patient representatives. We are still meeting with staff to ensure any work being done in their area is going to plan and there are no issues.
"Our focus is on providing person-centred care and how we make best use of our resources. We have looked at the layout of the hospital and what we can do to improve it to ensure we are delivering high quality care for our patients."
