Preferred site confirmed for new Wick care hub as part of Caithness health and social care services redesign
21st February 2023
A site in the Noss area of Wick has been confirmed by NHS Highland the preferred location for a new Community Hub and Care Village.
The proposed development, along with a similar facility at the Dunbar Hospital in Thurso, is one of the key parts of wider proposals to redesign, modernise and improve health and social care services in Caithness.
The green field Wick site, adjacent to Noss Primary School, was agreed in principle as the preferred location at a recent meeting of the Caithness and North Sutherland Redesign Programme Board.
Initially suggested by a member of the public during an extensive formal consultation exercise, it was one of three potential sites to be considered. The others were at the Town and County Hospital and Pulteney House care home.
Following full appraisals of the three sites it was agreed the Noss site, which is currently owned by The Highland Council, was the most suitable, would pose least disruption to current services, is able to accommodate all aspects of the design brief and has the potential to expand to accommodate additional "care village" features in the future.
Christian Nicolson, NHS Highland's Caithness District Manager, said: "Caithness is facing significant demographic challenges; the population is ageing with a decline in the number of people of working age. The planned care hubs at Wick and Thurso will play an important role in the modernisation and improvement of health and social care services in Caithness, bringing 24/7 elements together in one place to improve the long-term sustainability of our services.
"All three potential sites were thoroughly appraised and the selection of the Noss site as the preferred location is a significant milestone in this important project.
“The proposed buildings (Care Hubs in Wick and Thurso and a reconfiguration of Caithness General Hospital in Wick) are just one element of a much wider programme of transformational service change seeking to fundamental redesign how we deliver adult health and social care services for people living in Caithness."
A local “pop-up shop" public consultation exercise carried out in Wick in 2019 found 60% of people in favour of the Noss site for the new hub, compared to 20% for the Town and County Hospital and 5% for Pulteney House.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
The Service Centre will close at 5pm on Tuesday 24 December, re-opening on Friday 27 December (opening times 8am to 5pm). It will be closed on 1 and 2 January and open 8am to 5pm from Friday 3 January 2025.
Members have considered an update on the Council's medium term financial plan and the impact of the UK and Scottish Governments’ budgets on the coming year’s funding settlement. The position is currently looking more positive than initially planned for, however more detail needs to be worked through.
In November, The Highland Council launched a public statutory consultation to seek views on the proposed introduction of a Visitor Levy scheme across the Highlands. The Council has announced an extension to this consultation period, which will now give businesses, visitors and communities until 31 March 2025, an additional seven weeks, to take part and have their say.
In the light of the financial forecast for 2025-26, Highland Council is inviting you to tell us more in the budget preparation for the coming financial year. The budget engagement builds on extensive budget participation which took place in the winter of 2023-24.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Every year Highland Council invites all tenants to have their say on the rent levels for the following year. The Council encourages everyone that lives in a council house to take this chance to have their say.
Communities and Place Committee met yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2024) and Members agreed the Highland Local Child Poverty Action Report which includes actions for delivery in 2024/25. Reducing child poverty is a priority for the Council and its partners.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Members of the Highland Council's Community and Place Committee have given their support to an action plan focusing on the operating of public conveniences over the next 10 years. Whilst not a statutory function, the Council is the main provider of public conveniences located throughout Highland, operating 74 sites.
