Day surgery upgrade secures funding

PLANS to extend and enhance the day surgery unit at the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick have received a boost after the Scottish Government confirmed it would fund the £1.3 million project.

The upgrade will create more capacity for day surgery and other day care interventions by increasing the size of the unit from six beds to 12.

It is anticipated that this will reduce NHS Shetland’s reliance on inpatient beds and overnight hospital admissions.

NHS Shetland said funding currently spent on patient travel will be reinvested in delivering more day care services locally.

Director of nursing and acute services said Kathleen Carolan said the funding news was the “culmination of five years of planning”.

“We expect the new facility will have a real impact on the quality of care that we provide in Shetland,” she said.

“Not only will we be able to offer more day surgery and day care procedures, the facility will be a better environment with more privacy for patients.

“The new facility will really help us to offer more care in Shetland and repatriate services from Aberdeen.”