Health bosses are butting heads over more delays to the Baird and Anchor centres, as the crisis-hit project has been pushed back again.
The cancer and maternity units were previously scheduled to be completed by this summer, but a new report lays bare a string of fresh setbacks.
Constructions works are now expected to carry on until the end of the year, with the two facilities expected to open for staff and patients by March 2026.
A detailed dossier reveals how original plans had to be scrapped due to “contamination risks” in the building’s water supply.
The papers also disclose how NHS Grampian bosses were at odds with one another over how to fix the issue, leading to outgoing chief executive Adam Coldwells stepping in to solve the squabble.
The project was originally earmarked to cost £120 million and have patients through the door by 2020, but the health board has since been pummelled by crisis after crisis.
Bosses have also now revealed how the project’s pricetag could soar again. Last year, costs had rocketed to £260m, but another £17m is now to be added to that sum.
Why has Baird and Anchor centres been delayed AGAIN?
The Anchor centre will be the “first of its kind”, providing vital all-day and outpatient care for cancer patients and those with blood conditions.
Ever since the nine-figure project was announced, the new maternity and cancer wards have faced a plethora of delays and cash problems.
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.
A row over sinks pushed back the completion date by a further 10 months last year, with hospital bosses yet again at odds over what to do.
And this time it is still the water system which seems to be causing problems for the new hospital buildings.
Papers reveal how this extra £17m will have to be spent after inspections found a “risk of infection” in the water and ventilation systems.
In an update to the NHS Grampian board, project director Colin Adam explained that work on the new water systems had to be put on pause because of this.
It was done to avoid “water stagnation and contamination risk”.
He added: “The pipe, unfortunately, has been sitting for a number of months, where there is potentially stagnant water in there now – and as such there is a risk.
“We considered a range of options in terms of sterilising the pipe or trying to work to the pipe but the best approach, following wide consideration, was to replace the pipe.”
NHS Grampian bosses at odds over Anchor centre delays
Construction was then paused as NHS chiefs plotted their next move, but the board remained divided on what to do as members were “unable to come to a consensus”.
There were two options on the table – get the project over the line with minimal changes, or go back to the drawing board to foolproof the new wards.
In stepped the now outgoing chief executive, Adam Coldwells, who rubber-stamped plans to fix the problem with “limited changes to the configuration” of the new wards.
This was done to cut down on even more mounting costs and delays, as the Scottish Government refused to cough up the cash for the changes – which Holyrood decision-makers deemed “discretionary”.
Mr Coldwells is stepping down following 15 months in the job, as the health board faces a “very challenging” financial position.
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What happens next?
The NHS Grampian board discussed the delays and rising costs on Thursday, as they hope this will be the last bump in the road for the Baird and Anchor Centres saga.
Mr Adam gave a broken down timeline for the remaining of the works, saying he “positively anticipates” for the Anchor centre to be completed by December.
They will then move on to fitting out the buildings with the required equipment, which is expected to take another nine weeks.
The centre should be open for patients by next March.
You can view the full papers and watch the NHS Grampian discussion here.
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