Kier Construction Scotland has netted £6 million-worth of work to upgrade mental health facilities in the north-east.
The builder said yesterday it had won new contracts worth a total of £14.5m to improve NHS infrastructure around Scotland, including refurbishments at Royal Cornhill Hospital (RCH) in Aberdeen and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin.
Kier has also been appointed to develop designs for a £4.8m extension and refurbishment programme for the existing mental health facility at Rowanbank Clinic, part of Stobhill Hospital, in Glasgow, and to design, build and commission a £3.7m, 12-bed National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service in Irvine, Ayrshire.
The work for NHS Grampian in Aberdeen and Elgin covers up to six acute mental health admission wards and is part of the Scottish Government’s plans to improve the clinical environment for patients classed as being at “high risk” of self-harm.
It builds on other healthcare projects Kier is delivering, including a new elective care facility at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank.
The firm is also carrying out maintenance work and ward refurbishments at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock and Glasgow Royal Infirmary.
Managing director Brian McQuade said: “Kier has a leading reputation of delivering first-class facilities in the health sector.
“These latest wins demonstrate significant investment in mental health by the Scottish Government, and we look forward to working closely with NHS Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Ayrshire & Arran to deliver these facilities.
“Not only will these excellent new amenities benefit patients, they will also lead to job creation and training opportunities.”
NHS Grampian mental health and learning disability services business manager Judith McLennan said the RCH upgrade was the biggest project the service had undertaken there since the Clerkseat building 30 years ago.
She added: “It will significantly improve the physical environment.
“The project involves a major refurbishment of the building, the installation of newer, safer specialist ligature-reduction and anti-barricade mental health fittings and fixtures.”
It will also result in improved “lines of sight” for patient and staff access, while boosting clinical observation, she said.
Kier is one of five principal supply chain partners for the £600m Health Facilities Scotland framework for NHS capital investment north of the border.
