NHS building projects in Scotland put on hold

All hospitals, surgeries and treatment centres have been across the country have been put on hold.

The pause on these projects, which could last at least two years, is due to the budget constraints faced by the Scottish Government.

Health boards have been told not to approve any more capital investment projects, as there is no money available for them.

The increase in costs for construction, shortages of materials and new standards for ventilation have significantly increased the costs of these projects.

The biggest project that is facing delays is a network of ten treatment centres, which newly appointed Health Secretary Neil Gray said was part of his “overriding mission” to increase capacity in Scotland’s NHS.

The areas impacted include Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Fort William, and Aberdeen.

A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “The UK Government did not inflation-proof its capital budget which has resulted in nearly a 10% real-terms cut in the Scottish Government’s capital funding over the medium-term between 2023-24 and 2027-28.

“Our emphasis for the immediate future will be on backlog maintenance and essential equipment replacement.

“As a result of the cut in our capital budget following the UK Government’s Autumn Statement, a revised Infrastructure Investment Plan will be published this Spring, and all due consideration will be given to what projects can be included within that revised Plan.”

Councillor Brian Connelly, from South Ayrshire Council, has felt the impact of these delays in his ward, with a planned national treatment centre at Carrick Glen Hospital delayed.

He said: “I think every member of the public will be really disappointed that the building of these facilities is not going ahead.

“I do not know the budgetary pressures the government’s under, but it is obviously a huge blow for the local area that they are not going ahead.”