Chamber and committees

The report will be published this morning at 11:00 on the University of Glasgow’s website and can be accessed through the following link:

https://www.gla.ac.uk/researchinstitutes/healthwellbeing/research/hehta/monklands/

Firstly, I want to reiterate the Government’s commitment to the replacement of University Hospital Monklands to ensure the continuing provision of the highest quality healthcare services, for the benefit of local people.

I would also like to thank the members of the Independent Review Panel for preparing this report which has been helpful to me in deciding the way forward.

The report makes three recommendations for NHS Lanarkshire to implement and eight recommendations for the Scottish Government. The key recommendations relate to NHS Lanarkshire and they have been asked to make provision for new independent (external) members to join the project board, to re-evaluate the top two scoring options for the site selection and to develop a clear vision for the existing site which takes account of the local community.

I have accepted the recommendations on adding independent members to the project board and developing a vision for the existing site. For the remaining recommendation on the site selection process, I have asked NHS Lanarkshire to broaden out the process and to work closely with the local planning authority to ensure that they can support and contribute to a more constructive, inclusive and open site option review with meaningful public engagement. This will mean that if there are any viable sites beyond Gartcosh and Glenmavis, they will be considered and it will ensure that the most appropriate site is identified through the option appraisal process and it is supported by the local community.

I have also asked that the option of re-providing on the existing site at Monklands be excluded from the re-evaluation as building a new hospital on an existing hospital site takes longer, costs more, risks infection and other patient safety issues, while creating performance and access issues during the long construction phase. There is therefore little point in including an option which will score poorly in the option appraisal process.

Of the eight recommendations for Scottish Government, six relate to technical guidance in the Scottish Capital Investment Manual which will be reflected in the next update of the manual and the remaining two is for guidance to be updated, which is already in the process of being undertaken.

We will continue to keep the progress of this important project under review.