Fife company fits out the first new hospital in the Cairngorms National Park

Dunfermline-based Deanestor, one of the UK’s leading healthcare furniture specialists, has delivered its latest hospital fitout contract – a community hospital in Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands. This is the first new hospital to be constructed in the Cairngorms National Park.

Built by Balfour Beatty for delivery authority hub North Scotland, Badenoch and Strathspey Community Hospital is a £20m investment by NHS Highland.

Designed by Oberlanders Architects and Rural Design, the project is now a finalist for Healthcare Development of the Year at the Scottish Property Awards.

120 rooms across the new hospital have been fitted out by Deanestor. Bespoke furniture was manufactured in accordance with SHTM 63, including storage cabinets, wardrobes for the inpatient rooms, shelving, worktops, and fold-away beds.

Ramsay McDonald, Managing Director of Deanestor Scotland, said, “This project follows our successful delivery of two recent education projects for Balfour Beatty and hub North Scotland. As specialists in healthcare furniture, it really showcases our technical capabilities. The new community hospital will provide a valuable local facility for the people of Badenoch and Strathspey.”

In a statement to mark the opening of the hospital, local councillor for Badenoch and Strathspey, Bill Lobban, said, “The hospital is exactly what the community wanted. It’s really well designed and I think it’s just fantastic. This is a win-win for us. We get a fabulous new hospital and also get the standards of care we’ve always had.”

Badenoch and Strathspey is one of two community hospitals built for NHS Highland. A second hospital – the new Broadford Hospital on Skye – is also being fitted out by Deanestor.

The storage solutions manufactured by Deanestor for Badenoch and Strathspey had a laminate finish in two shades of blue to reflect the sky and the sea in the surrounding landscape. Darker blue was used for the inpatient bedrooms and utility areas, with calming aqua for the treatment areas.

As part of the infection control strategy, infill panels were designed to fully integrate the wall cupboards up to the ceiling. This feature is an efficient and highly effective alternative to sloping cabinet tops to avoid dust gathering on top of the units in the clinical areas.

Deanestor’s contract included supplying curtain tracks around the beds in the treatment rooms and bedrooms, and manufacture of the main reception desk which was finished in glacier white with a contrasting oak laminate finish.

The treatment rooms have fitted cabinets with roller shutters and drawers below. Deanestor fitted out the pharmacy with tall cabinets, worktops, dispensing cabinets with integrated trays, and metal drugs cabinets.

Their team also installed a wide range of specialist equipment across the hospital – from physiotherapy bars to white boards, dispensers, sanitisers, and appliances.

The new hospital has 24 inpatient beds, 12 consulting/treatment rooms, a minor injuries unit, outpatients, physiotherapy, NHS dental suite, GP services, x-ray facilities, and provides a base for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Originally established in 1948 to manufacture hospital furniture and fittings for the newly established NHS, Deanestor now has the resources and expertise to manage 5,000-room hospital projects. It offers bespoke design services to meet the requirements of major healthcare schemes and is responsible for installation to provide a seamless approach and a single point of contact for contractors, NHS trusts and other construction clients.