New maternity and cancer units at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary could finally open next summer – five years late and £140 million more expensive than first thought.
The Baird and Anchor plans date back more than a decade.
When they were announced in 2014, it was tipped to cost a relatively modest £120m.
Since then, cash-strapped NHS Grampian has been pummelled by crisis after crisis.
And now, a new report has pushed the opening date back to 2025 while warning that the ultimate price tag might top the current £261m figure.
The dossier uncovers the recent hurdles that have sent both the completion date and the costs soaring.
At a meeting today, health chiefs heard more about the troubled project as they learned that finally some real progress was being made…
The latest on Baird and Anchor Aberdeen work delays
The Baird Family Hospital will be Aberdeen’s new maternity hospital, offering breast screening services and a neonatal unit too.
And the Anchor Centre will provide haematology and oncology services.
Both were expected to be completed in 2020, but construction did not begin until 2021.
The projects fell victim to construction delays and soaring costs during the pandemic.
And then, concerns were raised by infection control experts about water and ventilation systems.
The extra work included removing 170 sinks from the buildings.
These have now finally been resolved, at some expense, with final reports expected to be approved this month.
How much will this cost?
The final cost rose to £261m, but new documents indicate this sum “remains under pressure” as the “anticipated costs change”.
They say the amendments made to redress the infection concerns “will result in additional costs”.
But the report adds: “However, funding arrangements have been agreed in principle by the Scottish Government pending final agreement of the outstanding design matters.”
The meeting heard that discussions over cash continue, with Holyrood officials visiting the site for a tour yesterday.
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So when will the Baird and Anchor units in Aberdeen delays end?
A report states: “The project is at an important stage with construction works to the Anchor Centre nearing completion.
“Works to the Baird Family Hospital are progressing in accordance with the updated construction programme.”
The Anchor Centre could now be ready by this winter.
However, project director Colin Adam advised that medical staff would probably be too busy to move at that time of year.
He added: “Winter is not an ideal time for a move of that nature. We are probably looking at a spring move.”
The Baird Family Hospital is expected to open in the summer of 2025.
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