Plans for a new, state-of-the-art orthopaedics centre for Fife have taken a significant step forward with the appointment of a contractor.
Graham Construction will manage the project and will establish a team to create the multi-million centre on the Victoria Hospital site in Kirkcaldy by March 2022.
Expected to cost between £40 million and £50 million, it will be the largest capital project undertaken by NHS Fife since it opened phase three of the Victoria in 2012.
It will house the region’s orthopaedics service, commended for its excellence in care by the British Orthopaedic Society and currently the only department left in the hospital’s ageing tower block.
Construction will take 18 months and will see the creation of a brand new building connected to the hospital, hosting three operating theatres, a 34-bed supporting ward and outpatient facilities.
A number of local businesses will be involved in the construction.
An initial proposal for the development was approved by the Scottish Government earlier this year and the full business case will be considered in the coming months.
NHS Fife’s director of finance Carol Potter said: “The appointment of Graham Construction as our principal supply chain partner will allow us to develop our design proposals through to a fully-costed appraisal, with the supporting business case due for consideration by the Scottish Government later this year.
“We are looking forward to working in partnership with Graham Construction to deliver this transformational project.”
NHS Fife chairwoman Tricia Marwick said the specialist centre would secure NHS Fife’s position as the heart of orthopaedic excellence in Scotland.
“The number of patients requiring orthopaedic intervention, such as hip or knee replacement, continues to rise and is one of the most common surgical procedures undertaken in the NHS,” she said.
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“Fife is fortunate to have one of the best-renowned and most forward-thinking orthopaedic teams anywhere in the country and I am delighted that we are able to announce our partnership with Graham Construction to work with us through the development of this exciting project.”
Chris MacLeod from Graham Construction said the company had significant experience in delivering modern healthcare facilities.
“We have a policy of being a responsible neighbour to the communities in which we operate and we will be seeking to build relationships with the local construction industry and its supply chain,” he said.
