Major investment planned for Raigmore Hospital will not be at the expense of other planned new facilities in Skye, Fort William and Aviemore, according to the Scottish Government.
Plans are being progressed by NHS Highland for a new community hospital in Aviemore and a revamp of services in Broadford and Portree.
A new hospital in Fort William is also under consideration as a replacement for the existing Belford Hospital.
But Dave Thompson MSP sought assurance that these projects would not be put on the backburner after the health board revealed plans to invest up to £450million in Raigmore Hospital in Inverness over the next decade.
Scottish Government cabinet secretary for health, wellbeing and sport, Shona Robison said that all of the projects were all part of a masterplan being developed by NHS Highland.
Mr Thompson said, “I am heartened by the Government’s response that existing capital projects will continue as planned and in particular I am pleased that NHS Highland will continue to develop its plans for a future replacement of the Belford hospital in Fort William, and that Badenoch and Strathspey and Skye proposals will continue, irrespective of developments at Raigmore.
“Overall, this will massively improve NHS infrastructure for all of the Highlands, which answers my original question and is fantastic news”.
Ms Robison said: “I am happy to confirm to Dave Thompson that the state-of-the-art new hospitals in Badenoch and on Skye will not be adversely impacted by the plans for Raigmore Hospital.
“Those existing capital projects will continue as planned and they will absolutely contribute to an improved infrastructure that will allow NHS Highland to successfully implement the Highland care strategy, which outlines its vision for the future delivery of health and social care services for people in the Highlands for the next 10 years.
“NHS Highland will continue to develop its plans for a future replacement for the Belford hospital in Fort William as well.”