Highland Hospice are pleased to announce that following a competitive tendering exercise Morrison Construction has been selected to build the new In Patient Unit and refurbish existing facilities on the Hospice’s riverside site in Inverness.
Morrison Construction was founded in Tain 67 years ago, and undertakes a range of activities from the construction of multi-million pound building and civil engineering projects to small works and repairs and maintenance.
The new hospice building will provide a modern, bright and airy inpatient unit, along with redesigned day therapy spaces, a quiet sanctuary room and increased physiotherapy, occupational therapy and bereavement support facilities.
There will be nine single bedrooms and one shared room, improving patient choice and increasing the levels of privacy and dignity offered.
The bedrooms will have ensuite facilities and will all be much larger in size making it easier for the clinical team to care for the patients, and allowing relatives to stay with loved ones in the same room if desired.
There will also be much needed family accommodation for loved ones, three dedicated counselling rooms, and the scope to develop a virtual hospice which aims to extend the reach of hospice care across the Highlands.
Kenny Steele, Highland Hospice CEO, said: “This is an important milestone in the project as it means building work will start within the coming weeks; however the fundraising appeal is far from over. We need to raise another £1.4m to rebuild our inpatient unit, which is in addition to the £49,000 required per week to deliver our services.
“Throughout the build period our priority will continue to be our patients and their families. Referrals to Highland Hospice will remain the same and although our clinical services will be based in temporary locations while building work takes place, our specialist team will be working from these locations ensuring the same level of care is available to the Highland community throughout.”
Donald Mclachlan, Regional Director, Morrison Construction – Highland, said: “We are delighted to have been entrusted with the construction of the new In Patient Unit on the Highland Hospice’s riverside site in Inverness.
“We look forward to developing a partnership with the Highland Hospice and successfully delivering a step change in the facilities provided, by constructing a new state-of-the-art facility to provide fully sustainable, modern purpose-built healthcare accommodation.”
The current inpatient unit is now over 26 years old and, at half the size of current guidelines, needs enlarged and upgraded. It is made up of only four single and two shared bedrooms, all of which are all too small in size, and there is also a lack of space for families and bereavement support.
The fundraising target for the project is £4.5m, with additional funds being added from Highland Hospice reserves which have been built up over a number of years for this purpose. With the generosity of the Highland public £3.1m of this target has been raised through the Project Build Appeal, leaving £1.4m to go. Fundraising will continue throughout the build period and the fundraising team will remain in the Hospice’s riverside building, Ness House, where donations can be sent
The building work itself will take around 16 months to complete and during this time the Hospice will continue to offer high quality in patient and day care services in alternative locations. The In Patient Unit will move to the Fyrish Ward at Invergordon County Community Hospital and the day therapy centre and family support team will move to Laxford House in Cradlehall Business Park.
The specialist hospice team will be working from these locations and referrals to all Highland Hospice services will remain the same throughout the build period.
***
Further information for media: Fiona Patience 01463 246471 or F.Patience@highlandhospice.org.uk
