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Lochaber health and social care redesign

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Lochaber service change, including the project for replacing Belford Hospital.

The Lochaber Health and Social Care Redesign Project aims to modernise health and social care services across Lochaber and includes the replacement of Belford Hospital with a new rural general hospital built to meet the demands of providing healthcare in the 21st century.

Following the Scottish Government budget announcement in December 2023, all NHS boards have been advised to stop any project development spend. Instead funds available should be focused on the maintenance of the estate and essential equipment and digital replacement. As a result, NHS Highland is assessing its capital projects, including the replacement of the Belford Hospital.

Our intention is to continue the current work underway until the project reaches Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stage 2. This means the initial Concept Design is produced in line with the requirements of the initial Project Brief. This should be completed in spring 2024. Thereafter, development work will be paused, though we will continue working to redesign health and social care services in order to be ready to pick up the project again as soon as capital funding resumes.

Our Q&A has more information on this. If you have a question we haven’t answered please email us (address below) and we will respond.

The redesign of services, both those based in the hospital and community services, will continue and we very much hope that you will work with us to shape services for the future.

On this page you’ll find the latest updates, project information and documents, and details of how we are engaging with local communities and stakeholders.

Fort William and Coull aerial view

Questions about the new hospital service model

Get in touch with us:

See frequently asked questions about the new hospital service model, and posters of plans.

Lochaber Times articles

Contributed by NHS Highland to the Lochaber Times.

NHS Highland news articles

Lochaber redesign update

12/03/2024

Following a meeting with community representatives on 7 March, NHS Highland have underlined the Board’s commitment to the redesign of health and social care services in Lochaber.

Lochaber redesign work will continue

08/02/2024

The Scottish Government announced last month that funding for all NHS construction projects was to be paused for at least two years.

Ground investigations begin at proposed site for new hospital

02/11/2023

NHS Highland is pleased to confirm that Balfour Beatty has started ground investigations on the proposed site for the new hospital in Lochaber.

Morvern and Acharacle Medical Practices to merge

28/06/2023

The Morvern and Acharacle Medical Practices have taken the first steps required to facilitate a GP practice merge, with completion of the merger taking place later this year in October.

Public invited to Lochaber stakeholder event

01/06/2023

Local communities across Lochaber are invited to attend a drop-in stakeholder event for updates on the redesign of health and social care in the area.

NHS Highland appoints Balfour Beatty to lead key redesign projects

11/04/2023

NHS Highland is pleased to confirm that Balfour Beatty Plc has been appointed as the Principal Supply Chain Partner for the Lochaber and Caithness General Hospital redesign projects.

Significant progress in plans for new Belford Hospital

22/02/2023

Plans to build a new hospital in Fort William are expected to take a significant step forward next month, with the appointment of a Principal Supply Chain Partner (PSCP) to carry out the design and construction work.

Stakeholder group given reassurances on planned services at new Fort William hospital

02/12/2022

The new Belford Rural General Hospital in Fort William will have a fuller range of services than the current facility, a monthly meeting of the Lochaber Health and Social Care Redesign Stakeholders’ Group has been told.

Lochaber initial agreement approved by Scottish Government

05/07/2022

The approval by the Scottish Government’s Capital Investment Group (CIG) of the initial agreement for the redesign of services in Lochaber sets out the earliest possible start date of April 2026 for construction on the new site in Fort William.

Lochaber Steering Group update

01/06/2021

The latest meeting of the Lochaber Steering Group was held in May.

Update from recent Lochaber Steering Group meeting

30/03/2021

NHS Highland has confirmed that work on the Initial Agreement for the replacement Belford Hospital in Lochaber is underway.

Positive community engagement in Lochaber

26/11/2020

NHS Highland has made a commitment to work closely with local communities in Lochaber to refresh the redesign of services in the area.

New NHS Chair visits Belford Hospital and Invernevis House

13/03/2019

NHS Highland’s new Interim Chair, Professor Boyd Robertson, took the opportunity to meet as many staff as possible during visits to Belford Hospital and Invernevis House Care Home last week.

Belford A&E team praised for excellent performance over festive period

22/01/2019

Staff at the Accident and Emergency department at the Belford Hospital in Fort William have once again met and exceeded the Scottish Government’s waiting time targets over the festive period.

Other project updates

Nevis Radio interviews

Listen to an interview from 11 August 2023, with Lochaber District Manager Karen-Anne Wilson about redesign of community health services.

Listen to a Community Connections interview from 9 June 2023, with NHS Highland senior project manager Heather Cameron, about the process and timescale for the new hospital project:

Community update newsletters

Earlier publications

Initial agreement (2)

Strategic assessment (5)

2021 (6)

2019 (2)

2018 (1)

2017 and earlier (6)

External publications

Lochaber Community Stakeholder Group

Terms of reference

Role and remit

  • To act as a forum for two-way communication between the local community and NHS Highland, in respect of the project.
  • To advise of local developments that may impact the project.
  • Provide advice on appropriate level of communications and engagement to ensure that service users, carers, community and other stakeholders are communicated with, engaged and involved in the process.
  • To nominate members to represent the community in other groups as required.

Administration

  • Meetings will be held every month and planned in blocks of six months.
  • A note will be issued after each meeting within two weeks.
  • Actions agreed will be specified setting out owners and timescales.
  • Any agenda items should be sent to the chair for consideration.
  • Agenda to be sent out at least one week in advance, including supporting papers wherever possible to save meeting time and aid efficient working.

Stakeholders Group - meeting minutes (33)

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.

Lochaber health and social care redesign

Last updated: 12 March 2024

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