Health bosses admitted they still don’t know when the delayed new hospital ward, made up of buildings supplied by firm Portakabin, will open.

The 30-bed ward at Forth Valley Royal Hospital, which accommodates patients undergoing knee and hip surgery, was largely completed last year.

However, the safety inspection identified ventilation, fire safety and flooding problems and the project was stopped.

A technical solution to these issues still needs to be approved and NHS Forth Valley said it could not say when the ward would open until that happened.

The ward was due to open at the hospital in Larbert in 2022 as part of the new National Treatment Center (NTC), which aims to increase operational capacity.

However, work did not start until 2022 and the project faces further delays.

Last year construction watchdog NHS Assure said this I could not support the ward project moving forward without changes..

Inspectors found two major and 19 significant issues with the project, including a lack of detail in the fire strategy, a failure to comply with some NHS guidance and a lack of detail in pre-commissioning checks.

NHS Assure, set up to monitor the quality, safety and operation of health board construction projects, concluded that the issues “could compromise the safety of patients and staff” if not addressed.

New healthcare facilities are not allowed to open to the public without a satisfactory NHS Assure review.

Two additional operating theaters and an MRI scanner to increase surgical and diagnostic capacity have been installed and are currently operational at Forth Valley Royal Hospital as part of the NTC project.

A spokesman for NHS Forth Valley said: “Over the last few months work has been carried out with the contractor and NHS Assure to address any remaining technical issues relating to piping and fire compliance regulations.

“A potential solution has been submitted to building control for review and we are currently seeking feedback.

“Once a solution is approved and accepted by all parties, a detailed work plan will be developed to move the necessary changes forward and a timeline for completing this work.”

NHS Forth Valley said capital costs for the project remained within the original estimated budget of around £10 million.