Plans to refurbish Caithness General Hospital set to take major step forward

Plans to refurbish and reconfigure Caithness General Hospital are expected to take a major step forward next month with the appointment of a principal supply chain partner to carry out the design and construction work.

The multimillion-pound project is one element in a wider programme of change to redesign, modernise and improve health and social care services in Caithness.

NHS Highland issued a tender for the work in January via the NHS national framework and prospective contractors have since had fact-finding visits to the Wick hospital.

A closing date has been set, with interviews due to take place in March.

Diane Forsyth, programme manager at NHS Highland, said: “This is another important milestone in the wide-ranging activity being carried out to modernise and improve health and social care services in Caithness.

“While we are working hard to provide the new and upgraded facilities needed, the main focus of our work is on the redesign of how we deliver health and social care services to communities throughout Caithness.

"Key components are the delivery of care locally and as close to home as possible, with a focus on preventative care and enabling people to be as independent as possible.”

The contract will be a joint one, also covering the design and building work for a planned new hospital in Fort William.

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