Caithness Hospital Changes And Hubs Delayed Further In Latest Announcement

28th July 2024

All new NHS building projects including those in Caithness were put on hold in February for up to two years because of budget constraints. The Scottish Government said then that a revised plan would be released in the spring.

But now this has been delayed even further and the details are to be announced at the 2025/26 Scottish budget, which will be in December.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said in a letter to Holyrood's finance committee: "To provide as much certainty as possible to parliament and wider stakeholders of our capital investment plans, I must wait until I have confirmed capital allocations from the new UK government".

The new Labour UK Government is likely to update on finances with an autumn statement. This will impact how much money is in the Scottish Budget.

The new Chancellor Rachel Reeves is to make statement on a report by the treasury tomorrow but no decisions will be taken until the Autumn at budget time.

A replacement hospital in Fort William, upgrades of Caithness General Hospital and the maternity ward at Inverness's Raigmore Hospital are also either paused or delayed.

Once the Scottish Government announces the capital spend available NHS Highland will have to decide what projects can proceed and a timetable.

The Redesign of Caithness Health Services has been going on for over 20 years. We published a newsletter from NHS Highland in 2003

And in 2017
NHS Highland listens to feedback at discussion event in Halkirk

More recently - more meetings
Caithness health and social care redesign

And after all this more delays..................