Kier secures multi-million NHS contracts in Scotland

The Scottish construction division is part of the wider listed Kier Group. Picture: Contributed

The firm’s Scottish construction division is to work on a £6 million refurbishment programme at Royal Cornhill hospital in Aberdeen and Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin, it was announced today.

Kier has also been appointed to develop the designs for a £4.8m extension and refurbishment programme for the existing facility at Rowanbank Clinic, part of Stobhill hospital in Glasgow, and secured a contract to design, build and commission a £3.7m secure adolescent inpatient facility in Irvine.

The latest wins build on a number of healthcare projects that the company is currently delivering, including a new elective care facility at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank as well as carrying out backlog maintenance work and ward refurbishments with NHS Grampian at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for NHS Highland and at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Inverclyde Royal Hospital in Greenock and Glasgow Royal Infirmary for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Brian McQuade, managing director for Kier Construction Scotland, said: “Kier has a leading reputation of delivering first-class facilities in the health sector.

“These latest wins demonstrate significant investment in the area of mental health by Scottish Government and we look forward to working closely with NHS Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Ayrshire & Arran to deliver these enhanced facilities.

“Not only will these excellent new amenities benefit the patients, they will also lead to job creation and training opportunities, helping to support both the local and Scottish economies.”

Judith McLenan, business manager, NHS Grampian mental health and learning disability services, added: “This is the largest project the service has undertaken since the Clerkseat Building opened at Royal Cornhill Hospital approximately 30 years ago.

“The project will significantly improve and modernise the physical environment. It involves a major refurbishment of the building, the installation of newer, safer specialist ligature-reduction and anti-barricade mental health fittings and fixtures and improvement in the lines of sight for patient/staff accessibility and enhancement of clinical observation in practice.”

Kier Construction, part of the wider Kier Group, is one of five principal supply chain partners on the NHS’s £600m health facilities Scotland framework for capital development in Scotland.

In July, Kier Group said its underlying profit was expected to be in line with expectations. Its trading update also outlined an “efficiency and streamlining programme” which is set to bring “material benefits” to the group in the financial year ending 30 June 2020 and beyond.

Further details about the “Future Proofing Kier” programme are due to be announced when the group releases its latest full-year results on 20 September.

Kier said it was focused on continuing to improve its performance and reducing its average net debt.