The new NHS National Treatment Centre in Inverness will offer patients a purpose-built facility, helping to reduce waiting times across the Highlands and Grampian.
The £48.6m building on the Inverness Campus has been in the works for several years and has faced multiple delays due to the pandemic but it is now set to welcome its first patients on April 17.
It is part of the network of 10 similar centres around Scotland backed by the Scottish Government to deliver added resilience to NHS services.
As one of the first to open, it will offer specialist services to north-east patients before the National Treatment Centre for Grampian is completed in 2027.
Walking into the centre, patients are greeted with a large reception area as well as a cafe to the left and patient waiting areas down the left and right corridors,
Directly ahead of you as you walk in is the staff areas which lead to the three theatres on the ground floor, which operate on eyes, feet, knees and hands.
Located on the ground floor is the ophthalmology department with several consultation rooms, a waiting area and a sensory play area.
There are also rooms with specialist equipment to carry out low-risk procedures without going into theatre, with a total capacity for 16 eye surgeries per day.
Signage throughout the building is bold with a dark coloured background making it easier for patients with visual impairments to see.
‘For our patients, this will be a tremendous benefit’
Initially, the NTC will run at 75% capacity for its first three months before treating 970 eyecare patients per week, up from 700 at present.
The new centre in Inverness will alleviate pressure across both Highland and Grampian, with the latter accounting for 40% of procedures to help bring down wait times in the north-east.
Chief executive of NHS Highland, Pam Dudek, says the Highlands are in a better position than Grampian, so spaces were allocated for north-east patients as part of a regional strategy.
She said: “It is a national treatment centre so we will be providing treatment to people in other health authorities and at the moment, that is favoured towards Grampian, because of where their waiting times are.
“We have a very strong relationship with Grampian and the islands, so it is not a unique position for us and we would hope there would be complimentary aspects to services across all treatment centres.”
Located on the first floor is the large orthopaedic department which at full capacity will treat 1,500 joints per year.
Also upstairs is a large balcony for patients to get some fresh air and a recovery ward for those just out of surgery.
There is two operating theatres which will be where surgeons carry out knee and hip replacements.
Nearly all jobs already filled
The NTC is “significant” for the Highlands, and joins similar new facilities in Broadford and Aviemore, with Ms Dudek saying she’s “never seen anything like this”.
Officials also confirmed that through the Aim High scheme, which encourages staff to come and work in the Highlands, more than 90% of the workforce or 208 jobs have been filled.
In addition, the existing eye care department at Raigmore, which has 67 roles, will move into the new NTC.
Construction of the NTC has faced multiple delays due to the pandemic, with an original date in 2022 being pushed back until April 17.
The centre will be overseen by a management team consisting of manager Helen Robertson, Colin McNair, clinical director and Fiona Grist, clinical nurse manager.
A critical part of the planning for the delivery was to ask the staff what they would like, and they responded with enhanced coaching and training from management.
Once operational, training will take place on Fridays, with the aim to develop staff skills across the centre workforce.
The building offers well-lit public areas and, includes a sensory play area, cafe, balcony and outdoor space.
Ms Robertson said: “For our patients what we are providing is a wonderful environment. It feels healthy.
“Our staff are feeling real joy when they come into the building and that ultimately helps provide exceptional patient care.
“For the Highlands, for our patients, this will be a tremendous benefit.”
Currently, any elective procedures at Raigmore could face cancellation due to an emergency, however, the NTC will operate independently with no disruption.
Ms Robertson added: “By having an off-site elective facility we are able to protect elective procedures and continue as needed, without risk of cancellation and also release some space within Raigmore.
“For us having a cancellation on the day of surgery is a never-event. We want to do most of the work in advance of patients being admitted to the centre.”
In anticipation of the new facility’s opening, NHS Highland is opening the centre up to the public to visit on April 1 and 2.
In pictures: Inside National Treatment Centre
Conversation