Staff praise NHS Grampian’s new ANCHOR Centre after tours

Published: 27/02/2024 09:43

NHS Grampian’s new ANCHOR Centre has been praised as “fabulous” by staff members who will work in the building.

The health board gave tours to almost 240 colleagues, who will take up residence in the building, once it opens its door.

Expected to treat around 65,000 patients every year, the new cancer and blood disorder treatment centre was praised by those on the visits with one commenting it was “fabulous, really well designed”.

Another staff member said: “The consulting rooms are a big improvement on what we have just now”. Others added there had been “great consideration for staff”.

Further staff feedback included:

  • “Wow, what a difference [the treatment zone] is going to make for patients, will really improve patient experience.”
  • “[the treatment zone] is fabulous, really well designed.”
  • “Love the colours, so calm and soothing.”
  • “Love the feeling of spaciousness walking through atrium and through to consulting zone.”
  • “The consulting rooms are a big improvement on what we have just now.”
  • “Really pleased to see staff are not an afterthought. Great consideration for staff here.”

Project nurse, Carolyn Annand said: “It has been great to give the staff who will work in this building their first real look around and let them see this fantastic facility.

“We’ve engaged staff on this project since it started, and it was important to let them see how The ANCHOR Centre is progressing and to listen to their feedback again.

“Many of our colleagues were full of praise for the new building and, as a project team, it has been great to see the enthusiasm of staff grow as they saw where they will be working in future.”

Almost 240 staff were shown round the new facility, which is being built at the Foresterhill Health Campus, in Aberdeen. They represented staff groups included nursing, health care support workers, pharmacy, radiotherapy, medical, administrative, facilities management, portering, domestic, and the Friends of ANCHOR well-being team.

Service and commissioning lead for the project, Louise-Anne Budge said: “Allowing staff to see where they will be working at this stage allows them to plan ahead on how they will operate in the new centre.

"On a lot of projects, the first glimpse staff get is at their orientation, but we were keen to bring staff in as early as possible.

“The ANCHOR Centre will be a valuable asset to patients and staff in the north-east for decades to come, and it’s been great to see our colleagues’ excitement growing as they see the space that they will call home.”