Essential repair work at the Gilbert Bain Hospital will move into its next phase from Monday 14 September, with contractors beginning work to install a temporary steel mesh and strapping system on parts of the building affected by water ingress.
The work is an important safety measure designed to protect patients, visitors and staff while longer-term solutions are developed and delivered. The temporary steel mesh will be installed around the four-storey tower block, Ward 3 and the Maternity department. The project is expected to take around eight to ten weeks and will involve extensive noise from drilling and site work.
While there will inevitably be increased noise and disruption during this period, every effort will be made to keep this to a minimum. All hospital departments are expected to remain in their current locations, and patients will continue to access services as normal.
Once complete, the installation will allow the removal of the external scaffolding and internal support structures currently affecting areas such as Outpatients and the main corridor. The mesh system will also significantly reduce the risk associated with any potential future structural issues.
To allow this next stage of work to proceed safely, part of the Gilbert Bain Hospital car park will close from 5pm on Sunday 13 September, as shown on the accompanying map.
The area highlighted in yellow will be fully enclosed by fencing, with access restricted to authorised personnel involved in the works. As the closure will interrupt the usual one-way flow of traffic around the car park, drivers are asked not to use the two parking spaces marked in red at the east end of the car park. This will provide enough space for vehicles to turn around safely and leave without the need to reverse.
Hospital staff are reminded that primary parking remains at Brevik House.
In December 2025, NHS Shetland submitted a revised Full Business Case to the Scottish Government which outlined the proposed temporary steel solution and the funding required to deliver it. Since then, detailed design work, procurement activity and governance processes have been completed to allow construction work to begin.
The business case also included funding to develop a wider site development plan for the Gilbert Bain Hospital for consideration by the Scottish Government. This work explored options for longer-term improvements, including rebuilding sections of the external walls and addressing other infrastructure challenges across the hospital site.
David Wagstaff, Head of Estates and Project Director, said: "The start of these works marks an important milestone in our programme to address some of the issues affecting the Gilbert Bain Hospital. Installing the temporary steel mesh system will provide an additional layer of protection for patients, visitors and staff while allowing us to progress towards longer-term solutions for the building.
"We recognise that the work will bring some temporary disruption, including changes to parking arrangements and some unavoidable noise while construction is taking place. We are working closely with our contractors to minimise the impact as much as possible and ensure services can continue to operate safely and effectively.
"This project is part of a wider programme of investment in the future of the Gilbert Bain Hospital. We would like to thank our staff, patients and the wider community for their patience and support as we take this important next step."
Throughout the project, our priority is to maintain a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for patients, visitors and staff while keeping disruption to an absolute minimum. We recognise that these works may cause some inconvenience and would like to thank everyone for their continued patience and understanding.
As the project progresses, we will continue to monitor the impact and welcome feedback from patients, visitors and staff. Your views will help shape future stages of the project and ensure they are delivered in a way that is as smooth, inclusive and responsive as possible.
To leave feedback, please complete the Microsoft Form: Gilbert Bain Hospital Repairs – We Value Your Feedback – Fill in form
