Ninewells hospital needs an urgent £12 million upgrade to its electricity supply after a power cut exposed ageing infrastructure.
The issue centres on an outdated system at the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Children’s Theatre Suite.
Bosses realised the need for an overhaul following a “short term” power outage which showed “many critical clinical areas” of the hospital did not have an adequate emergency generator back-up.
The health board is now seeking to upgrade the infrastructure as a “priority” and has filed a full business case to the Scottish Government in a bid for funding.
It comes as chiefs gear up for a public Q&A today over the authority’s performance over the last year.
NHS Tayside chairman John Brown refuted suggestions made at the weekend that the board was asking the Scottish Government for extra money.
He said: “I am very disappointed that a planned bid for extra investment into one of our hospitals is being viewed as a negative step.
“I would like to make it clear on behalf of the board that this is not NHS Tayside looking for ad hoc or emergency monies as has been reported.
“There has been a considered approach, with a full business case, for a major investment into Ninewells Hospital.
“It is being progressed through the proper channels, in the same way that every other health board accesses funding for major infrastructure programmes.
“I believe that the people of Tayside will be reassured that the board of NHS Tayside is seeking to improve buildings and infrastructure and will actively welcome this, and any future, bid which sees investment into their health service.”
Today’s session follows a tumultuous period for the health board during which it received around £60 million in “brokerage” loans from the Scottish Government.
It has also been widely criticised for dipping into a charity fund to plug deficits in its finances.
A watchdog described the decision — which led to the departure of both the chairman and chief executive — as “mismanagement” but said no rules were broken.
Mr Brown said, the new temporary leadership team had been identifying various historical issues that need to be addressed.
He said: “The new chief executive is committed to progressing a number of projects which will improve services for patients, service users and their families, some of which will require further bids for capital investment from the Scottish Government.”
North East region Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman claimed the “ageing” equipment was the result of years of underfunding.
He said: “I’ve been pleased by how staff at NHS Tayside have dealt with recent events at the board.
“Unfortunately, the succession of crises doesn’t seem to be stopping.”
Mr Bowman added: “Staff deserve a safe and functioning building to work in, and they don’t seem to be getting it.”
