Spending limit on new Aberdeen maternity unit, says NHS Grampain

The Scottish government has set a limit on how much it will spend on building Aberdeen's new maternity hospital, according to NHS Grampian.

The health board would not say at what level the cap had been set.

The last estimated cost of the project was £261m - about £100m more than originally planned.

The unit is part of the new Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Cancer Centre, which had been due to open in 2020 but is now delayed until 2027.

Delays have been linked to water and ventilation problems.

The Scottish government said it was supporting NHS Grampian in the commercial process of building the hospitals.

NHS Grampian's chief executive, Laura Skaife-Knight, told BBC Scotland a limit had been set on spending.

"We have in writing from the Scottish government that they will continue to support this project," she said.

"What we are now working through is the precise financial arrangements and that will follow early in the new year."

Ms Skaife-Kight added that differing views on certain aspects of the project had contributed to delays.

She said: "There are differences of views in terms of some aspects of infection control, some clinical views, and we are working those through.

"This is the biggest capital programme in the NHS in Scotland and there will always be different views on any project, and that is entirely reasonable and we are working these through in the right way with the right governance."

She added: "I hope early next year we will have a date and a final capital cost we can announce and move forward positively."

The Scottish government said: "NHS Grampian is implementing several changes to the new hospital, resulting from a design review which has impacted on the completion date and overall cost.

"These changes are subject to a commercial negotiation with the contractor and we will continue to support NHS Grampian as they work through this process."