NHS Fife are spending £900,000 on a new reception, shop and cafe at Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital and 194 extra parking spaces at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. Work has already started at the Dunfermline site which aims to provide a more welcoming environment, with new facilities to improve patient experiences.

The £600,000 cost will see the main reception, in phase two, transformed with a new ‘Aroma’ coffee shop replacing the existing outlet, more comfortable waiting areas and self check-in facilities.

The new reception will also have a carers’ information hub, a new retail unit, infant feeding facilities, enhanced public toilets, a changing area for disabled adults and better signage.

The work will be carried out in phases and should be finished in early autumn.

Margaret Henderson, Queen Margaret Development Project lead, said, “The construction work within the main reception area is one part of the wider redevelopment taking place at Queen Margaret and we have been fortunate to have patient representatives involved with the design plans for the main reception from the beginning.

“We are confident that the changes to the reception area will provide a more welcoming and modern environment, whilst the new ‘Aroma’ coffee shop will provide an excellent facility complementing the WRVS coffee shop already on-site.” She added, “Construction work will take place in a number of phases to keep disruption to a minimum for our patients, staff and visitors.” Last month, the health board said they would spend £200,000 on remodelling the car parks and moving the main vehicle entrance to QMH. They also want to introduce a one-way traffic system through the site and increase the number of blue badge and parent-and-child parking bays.

NHS Fife will spend a further £300,000 at the Victoria to address parking problems at the site.

Work started on Monday to demolish the Old College buildings which will provide space for additional parking to the west of the hospital.

The 194 new spaces will include 17 disabled spaces and the work should be completed in the autumn. NHS Fife director of finance, Chris Bowring, said, “The addition of nearly 200 parking spaces is part of a continuing programme to improve patient access to healthcare services in Fife.

“These works are a key element of the original plans for the redevelopment of the Victoria Hospital site and make certain that we satisfy the planning conditions for the building of the new wing.

“The overall cost of the demolition will be in the region of £300,000.

“Once completed, the additional car-parking space will ensure that we can continue to meet the overall parking requirements for our patients and visitors.” Access routes to the Diabetes Centre, Victoria Hospice, Fife Community Dental Centre and the Maggie’s Centre have been changed while the work is carried out.