Raigmore HospitalRaigmore Hospital is an acute general hospital. There has been a hospital on the site since 1941. Facilities and services have been continually enhanced over the years and further development is planned.
The initial phase of Raigmore opened in 1970 and comprises a wing containing Laboratory services, Medical Physics, Radiology and Radiotherapy Departments, Out-Patient Departments, Paramedical Services, Medical Records Department and Emergency Department.
In addition, there is a ward block of 8 floors. These include teaching facilities, a theatre Suite of nine Operating Theatres, a six bed Intensive Care Unit, a 4 bed Coronary Care Unit, a Maternity Unit, Chest/Control of Infection Unit and a Renal Unit, all of which are serviced by comprehensive support services.
Raigmore Hospital is a clinical teaching centre, providing the University of Aberdeen’s (UOA) second undergraduate medical teaching site. Plans are underway to establish an academic teaching and research unit (the Highlands and Islands Research Institute) on site jointly with UOA. The North of Scotland Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and the University of Stirling department of nursing and midwifery (Highland Campus) are also based on the Raigmore site.
Services
The hospital has a total of 577 beds and employs approximately 3,200 staff. A number of Directorates provide clinical and support services. Each Directorate has a Directorate General Manager (DGM), with budget-holding responsibilities.
- Medical Directorate
The Medical Directorate provides a wide range of medical services, including General Medicine, Chest/Communicable Disease, Dermatology, Care of the Elderly, Rehabilitation, STD., Emergency, Renal Services and a Medical Unit comprising of a 6 bed Coronary Care Unit and Medical Triage Unit.
- Surgical Directorate
The Surgical Directorate provides services across a range of surgical specialities: Theatres, Anaesthetics, a 6 bed ITU (with a capacity to flex up to 8 beds), General Surgery, Orthopaedics, ENT Surgery, Day Case Unit, Audiology, Opthamology, Orthoptics, Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Radiotherapy/Oncology.
- Women and Child Directorate
The Woman and Child Health Directorate provides services covering Gynaecology, Obstetrics, and Paediatrics. There is a 11 cot SCBU. The Birnie Centre, on site, contains Child and Family Psychiatry Services.
- Clinical Services and Support Directorate
The Clinical Services and Support Directorate provides a range of clinical and other services to support activity within the Trust and to external customers: These include Laboratories, Medical Physics, Pharmacy, Medical Records, Medical Illustration, Radiology, Physiotherapy, Nutrition and Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Out-Patients and a Breast Screening service.
- Facilities Directorate
This department encompasses all of the non-clinical support services essential to the efficient and effective operation of the hospital: These include Domestic, Catering, Portering, Telephones, Linen services, Residents Accommodation, Administration, Estates and Supplies.
Associated Services
Raigmore comprises a wing containing:
- Laboratory services
- Medical Physics
- Radiology and Radiotherapy Departments
- Out-Patient Departments
- Paramedical Services
- Medical Records Department
- Emergency Department.
In addition, there is a ward block of 8 floors. These include:
- Teaching facilities
- Theatre Suite of nine Operating Theatres
- 6 bed Intensive Care Unit
- 4 bed Coronary Care Unit
- Maternity Unit
- Chest/Control of Infection Unit
- Renal Unit
All of these are serviced by comprehensive support services.
Visiting Times
- The visiting hours for Raigmore Hospital are 2.30-4.30pm and 6.30-8.30pm. The exceptions to this are the Children’s Ward, Critical Care/High Dependency and primary supporters (eg. fathers, partners) visiting the Maternity Ward. For these Wards, visiting arrangements should be discussed with the staff on duty.
- Please remember that treatment, tests and operations are carried out during the day, and that the Nurse-in-Charge may exercise discretion to control visiting, in the interest of the patient.
- We ask visitors to check with the Nurse-in-Charge, when they arrive, that it is convenient to visit.
- To avoid overtiring patients we ask everybody to co-operate by limiting the number of visitors at any one time to two, and the duration of any visit to half an hour.
- Children in hospital may be visited by parents and close relatives at any time.
- Detailed advice for visitors to the Special Care Baby Unit, the Children's Ward, Coronary Care and Intensive Therapy Unit, is available on information sheets issued by these units.
Patient/Visitor Information
Raigmore Hospital Patient Guide
Raigmore Hospital Site Plan
Getting Here
Patients normally arrange their own transport but if you are medically unfit to travel by public transport, speak to your own GP about ambulance transport. As you will appreciate, the use of an ambulance is not intended as a substitute for public transport, or for help from a friend or relative.
Travelling by bus:
- The hospital is well served by public transport.
- Frequent bus services to Raigmore from the town centre run at approximately 15 minute intervals throughout the day.
- Buses from the centre of Inverness leave from a bus stop in Queensgate; the numbers of buses that leave from there are 3, 3A, (3B), 4 and 4A.
- Queensgate is very close to the both the railway station and the bus station.
Travelling by car:
- The hospital is situated just off the A9 near the Inshes fly-over and Northern Constabulary Headquarters.
- Taxis and private cars can set you down and collect you at the main entrance (maximum waiting time: 10 minutes).
- Free 24-hour taxi phones are available inside the main entrance (opposite the WRVS shop), the Outpatient Department and Accident and Emergency.
- A large car park in front of the hospital is provided for private cars.
- A number of clearly marked parking spaces are reserved for disabled drivers only. Please do not park in bays reserved for disabled drivers unless you are a disabled driver.
- On occasion the car park is full to capacity and arrangements are then in place to redirect cars to temporary parking.
Travel Costs - Highlands and Islands
The following arrangements apply to patients who live in the former counties of Shetland, Orkney, Caithness, Sutherland, Ross & Cromarty, Inverness, Argyll, Arran, Bute, Cromdale or Nairn.
Such patients from the Highlands and Islands catchment area who have to travel more than 30 miles (or more than 5 miles by water) to hospital can claim repayment of travel expenses without test of means less the first £10.00 (for each appointment).
Those who receive Income Support, Working Tax Credit (with Child Tax Credit or with a disability element), Job Seeker's Allowance (income based) or Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, or who are named on an HC2 or HC3 certificate or who complete an HC5 form will not have to pay the first £10.00 of any expenses claimed as long as proof of entitlement can be given.
The expenses of an escort may also be paid if medical staff consider that an escort is medically necessary.
Expenses will be paid on the basis of travel by public transport.
Any patient who is unable to use public transport due to medical reasons and has no other means of travelling to their appointment should contact the Scottish Ambulance Patient Transport Service on 01463 667566.
If you use your own car a mileage allowance will be payable.
Claims can be made at the Hospital Cash Office. Please keep any tickets and receipts as proof of your travel costs.
Travel claim forms are available from wards and clinics.
Patients who reside within the North Highland area
A travel booking service is available to all patients who are required to attend an NHS appointment outwith the NHS Highland area. Flight and train tickets can be arranged. Please contact 01463 704902 for further information.
Patients who have a query concerning patient travel and their entitlement should call 01463 704902.
Patients who reside within the Argyll and Bute area
It may be necessary for a patient to fly to an appointment. Please contact your GP surgery for assistance.
Patients who have a query concerning patient travel and their entitlement should phone 01546 605653.
Patients' Council
The Raigmore Hospital Patients' Council was formed on 3rd March 1999. It brought together a group of people who had something to contribute to the hospital - the views of patients, ex-patients and patient relatives.
More details can found at the following link:
The Patient's Council
