Over £2.8 million spent by NHS Highland on delayed Caithness redesign
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More than £2.8 million has been spent by NHS Highland on the delayed redesign of health and social care services in Caithness.
The figure was obtained through a freedom of information (FOI) request by a Caithness resident who wanted to know the capital cost committed so far.
Scottish Government funding for healthcare construction projects has been put on hold for at least two years, affecting the £80 million Caithness redesign and other major developments in the Highlands.
According to a response from the Scottish Government, NHS Highland had spent £2,841,027 on the Caithness redesign as of February 14.
The FOI request was made by a Caithness resident who has asked not to be named.
The person said: "As an individual who accesses medical services in Caithness, I would say patients and staff desperately need better facilities.
"The A&E department at Caithness General is no longer fit for purpose, the mental health facility based at the Town and County isn't big enough and the mental health building at Dunbar is like a cowshed.
"So for the Scottish Government to pull the rug from underneath NHS Highland shows how they have scant regard for rural communities and staff who do the best they can with the facilities they have."
Health boards have been told to pause any new capital projects and concentrate on essential maintenance.
The Scottish Government has described its capital funding position as “extremely challenging”.
Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, a person who requests information from a Scottish public authority which holds it is entitled to be given it, subject to certain conditions and exemptions.
In February, NHS Highland gave an assurance that preparing for the redesign of health and social care services in Caithness "has never been more important for us and the people we care for". The health board emphasised that work would continue on planning and implementing the redesign.
Highland councillors said they accepted that the situation was "not the fault of NHS Highland" and that the board was facing a "daunting challenge".
