The Grampian Emergency Care Centre will bring a number of care services under the one roof at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI).  The accident emergency department, Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU), ward accommodation and the primary care out-of-hours service of the hospital will be all provided at the new build one-stop-shop development.  Currently emergency care in Aberdeen is provided at several different locations at ARI.

With the business case now approved, subject to planning approval, work at the Foresterhill site will start next year and the centre set to start treating patients by the end of 2011.

Nicola Sturgeon, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, said:

"This £95m centre is great news for the people of Aberdeen and the wider Grampian area.

"It means that for the first time all emergency and out-of-hours services will be brought together at a single site, providing seamless state-of-the-art treatment for patients.

"This major investment also underlines this Government's commitment to new healthcare capital projects in Grampian and across Scotland, built using public money to provide the best value for taxpayers."

Dr Roelf Dijkhuizen, medical director for NHS Grampian, added:

"This is fantastic news for patients in the north-east.

"The new centre will allow emergency services in Aberdeen City to work together as one team and support emergency services across the whole Grampian region.

"State-of-the-art diagnostic and telemedicine facilities will be provided in the centre, to enhance Grampian's position as the Scottish centre for telehealth.

"Clinical accommodation will be provided in the floors above the emergency care centre. This is an important step in the modernisation of inpatient facilities at the Foresterhill site."