£400m for Scottish hospital projects

Scottish deputy first minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced a new multi-million pound package that will see hospitals and health centres built as part of a new public-private funding package.

The main beneficiary of the new funding will be The Royal Edinburgh Hospital Campus which will receive a further £120m to complete its redevelopment.

It is all part of the £409m plan with investment to be secured through a £1bn extension to the Non Profit Distributing (NPD) programme, which now extends through to 2019-20.

NPD caps private sector returns, there is no dividend bearing equity and any surplus is directed in favour of the public sector.

Community health projects will be delivered as design, build, finance and maintain projects via the hub initiative.

Other projects in the £409m package include:

- £90m to develop Aberdeen Women's Hospital

- £20m for the new Aberdeen Cancer Centre

- £65m East Lothian Community Hospital

- £20m community health projects in Highland including Skye, Lochalsh, south west Ross-shire and in Badenoch and Strathspey

£19m for primary care in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

£19m primary care projects in Grampian including Newmachar, Balmedie Blackburn and Elsick

Ms Sturgeon said: "This £409m investment will deliver the highest quality of health and social care services. This government’s vision is to deliver world-leading safe, effective and person-centred healthcare".

"Today’s announcement demonstrates that, despite the massive cuts to Scotland’s capital budget from Westminster, the Scottish Government will continue to deliver substantial investment in the infrastructure of the NHS through use of the innovative NPD model and the Hub programme".

"Infrastructure investment is also fundamental to delivering sustainable economic growth. It supports our construction industry and helps attract business activity to our communities".