NHS Highland has submitted planning permission to begin refurbishment work at Grantown Health Centre.
The current health centre is currently not big enough to accommodate the services, including minor injury, physiotherapy and locally based outpatient clinics, and requires refurbishment to improve the infrastructure and access.
Once completed, the health centre will have an extension to facilitate four additional consulting rooms in addition to a minor injuries unit, refurbishment of existing rooms and improved access and waiting area arrangements.
Kathy Cockman, Grantown Medical Practice Executive Manager, said: “We are pleased to be moving forward with the proposed plans to refurbish Grantown Health Centre as part of the redesign of health and social care services in Badenoch and Strathspey. This work is not only about increasing the footprint of the building, but also modernising the internal fabric of the health centre.
“The work will be done in three stages, the first of which will see the Health Centre decant into the Ian Charles Hospital building. This will then facilitate construction work on the existing Health Centre building, including new windows and a new pitched roof which will create additional rooms on the first floor for training and a triage centre. We are also modernising the energy system in line with ‘net zero’ legislation that will increase energy efficiency and reduce costs.
“The addition of the extension will require the demolition of the central section of the existing building, which was added in the 1960’s and connected to the original Ian Charles Hospital.
“There are a number of advantages to demolishing the central section in addition to accommodating the proposed extension. We will be able to create a circular road loop around the health centre and allow for future expansion.
“We are on track to finish the works as per our programme. Once this work is completed, we will then move back in to the refurbished Health Centre. We anticipate that the first phase of this work will begin in August. Service delivery will not be impacted during this work.”
Read more about Badenoch and Strathspey health and social care redesign.