Record fund for new built, facilities upgrade and new IT systems

Scotland鈥檚 health service has been allocated 拢525m for new NHS facilities and the upgrade of equipment and IT systems.

Of this, 拢324m will be spent on new built and improving existing facilities until 2009.

The remaining funding will be spent on other services such as e-health, primary care and primary and community care premises.

Nicola Sturgeon, cabinet secretary for health and wellbeing, said: "The record funding I am announcing today will enable NHS boards across Scotland to continue with their building programmes to ensure that we have a health service infrastructure that is fit for the 21st Century."

One of the projects funded by the new budget is a new 24-bed community hospital at Bonar Bridge in Sutherland.

Raigmore Hospital in Inverness will also benefit from a new day surgery centre. Work on both projects will start next year.