WATCH: Pupils from Charleston Academy in Inverness check out progress on development of NHS Highland National Treatment Centre during guided tour by contractors Balfour Beatty

Pupils from an Inverness secondary school have been given a first-hand glimpse of the new National Treatment Centre Highland as it continues to take shape.

Pupils from Charleston Academy visited the site at Inverness Campus where they were given a guided tour by contractors Balfour Beatty.

The new £42 million world-class treatment centre, which is being developed by NHS Highland, will have 24-bed inpatient rooms, five operating theatres, clinics and outpatient departments offering healthcare for bone, muscle and eye conditions.

Balfour Beatty released a short film via social media of pupils being given an insight into working in the construction industry during the tour.

The centre will deliver a range of elective orthopaedic care, offering uncomplicated hip and knee replacements, foot, ankle and hand surgery plus full ophthalmology services and will reduce waiting times for patients across the Highlands and beyond.

A substantial recruitment campaign has started with the centre set to bring 210 new jobs.

The building is expected to be completed in September and fully operational by December – subject to no further delays in the construction programme.

Watch: New National Treatment Centre in Inverness takes shape

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