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Caithness General Hospital refurbishment, and new Wick and Thurso Community Hubs.

Dunbar Hospital steps

National Design Assessment Process (NDAP)

The purpose of the Achieving Excellence in Design Evaluation Toolkit (AEDET) workshop was to support the stakeholders to work together to ensure they understood the facility/design proposals, understand the AEDET statements and facilitate a discussion to reach a wide consensus on the scores.

Caithness General Hospital refurbishment

Caithness General Hospital in Wick will be fully upgraded and refurbished to create a modern, fit-for-the-future facility in line with modern healthcare standards. Work will be undertaken throughout the hospital to reconfigure the existing layout, including a substantial upgrade and expansion of the Emergency Department, refurbishment of inpatient areas including an increase in the number of single en-suite bedrooms, an upgrade of building services, and wholescale improvements to accessibility and patient experience.

Balfour Beatty were appointed in March 2023; a joint appointment with the Lochaber project via the NHS Scotland Frameworks 3 process. Their team comprises of:

Caithness General Hospital aerial view 2

Wick and Thurso Community Hubs

The creation of two new Community Hub and Care Villages in Wick and Thurso are a key enabler to making services more sustainable by bringing together the 24/7 elements in each location. Integrated health and social care teams will also be co-located at the Hubs to promote collaboration and joint working.

The Thurso Hub will be located on the Dunbar Hospital site, and will accommodate GP beds, care beds (currently at Bayview), minor injuries unit, outpatient and therapy services, day care (currently at Bayview and Thor House), GP and primary care services, and the community integrated adult health and social care team.

The preferred site for the Wick Hub is land owned by Highland Council adjacent to Noss Primary School. It will accommodate GP beds (from Wick Town and County Hospital), care beds (from Pulteney House), community outpatient and therapy services, GP and primary care services and the community integrated adult health and social care team.

hub North Scotland Ltd appointed a design team for the two schemes in June 2023. They are:

A main contractor will be appointed in 2024.

Dunbar Hospital front

Important: Further information

For queries about historic documents relating to service redesign that are not published here, please contact the District Manager for the relevant area.

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    Caithness General Hospital refurbishment, and new Wick and Thurso Community Hubs.

Last updated: 9 February 2024