This is the first look at the new critical care ward at Raigmore Hospital, with health bosses pledging it will bring high quality care to patients and visitors as part of a £28million upgrade.
The new 16-bed ward will deal with acute medical assessment, medical high dependency, surgical high dependency and intensive care.
The ward will also have two isolation rooms, a four-bed area, a two-bed area, four open bays and four single rooms, as well as purpose built relatives’ area for overnight stays.
Doreen Bell, clinical advisor for the project, said: “It must be at least ten years we have wanted to co-locate those two areas within the hospital and this is our opportunity to do that. The idea is with co-location, the nurses will be trained across the floor, across the 16 beds, and we will be able to flex up and down to both areas; as and when we require it for the patients.
“This ward represents the old days in hospital, as you were getting better you were getting further and further away from the nurses’ station. Here they can see that their condition is improving. Overall it’s just so much better.”
The works are part of a £28 million development on Raigmore Hospital’s Critical Services Upgrade (CSU) being undertaken on the hospitals tower block.
Nine theatres are also being upgraded with a tenth orthopaedic theatre being added to the foot of the building.
Project director Kevin Minnock added: “It’s important we have a regional acute centre and that’s what Raigmore is. It’s in its mid-term life, in terms of its building lifetime, and this is a major uplift; part of an on-going uplift to the whole of the tower block.”
Pat O’Hare, Contract Director for Graham Construction said: “It is bringing a higher, very modern and efficient level of care to the patients but it’s also for the staff. It’s a far better environment for the staff, the clinical, medical and nursing staff.
“My wife is a nurse and they deserve this type of environment to work in and it means they will deliver the best type of care for the people in Inverness and the Highlands. It’s very worthwhile and an exciting project for us.”