Health bosses still don’t know when two new Aberdeen hospitals will open – around four years after doors were meant to open.
NHS Grampian chiefs also don’t know how much it will cost to bring the Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre up to standard.
Both were expected to be completed in 2020 for a combined price of £120 million.
The Baird Family Hospital will be Aberdeen’s new maternity hospital, offering breast screening services and a neonatal unit too.
And the Anchor Centre will provide haematology and oncology services.
NHS Grampian’s troubles continue
But the projects fell victim to construction delays and soaring costs during the Covid pandemic and have been impacted by other global events since.
And then, concerns were raised by infection control experts about water and ventilation systems.
The revisions to the building have already more than doubled the final price to £261m.
Now, having failed to have allay infection fears, fresh work is being ordered which might finally see the two health centres open.
A report to go before the NHS Grampian board tomorrow explains that steps had been taken to address the issues.
Earlier this year, the Scottish Government ruled out any extra money for the projects.
What needs fixed at Aberdeen’s Baird Family Hospital and the Anchor Centre?
The work includes removing 170 sinks from the buildings and testing of ventilation systems.
Additional walls and corridors will be added to the Anchor’s open plan treatment area.
Improvements will also need to be made to operating theatres within the new hospitals.
Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre project director Garry Kidd explained that the changes are needed to ensure the buildings are “capable of providing contemporary healthcare services to high standards of quality and safety”.
What will happen now?
Advice from the Infection Prevention & Control Team (IPCT) had been considered, however it seems it hasn’t gone entirely to plan.
The report states that it had “not been possible to achieve consensus on all issues”.
But the Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre project board has since given the go-ahead on work which will allow construction to “progress, providing assurance on the safe delivery of care while minimising any further delay”.
Mr Kidd added: “We are now engaging closely with the contractor who has been instructed to progress the actions outlined in order to quantify the potential impact on programme and cost.”
An update on the revised project timescales and price is expected next month.
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