The Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) team is getting set for the community and staff scoring event tomorrow (Tuesday 10 March).

The event will see 100 people, 51 members of the community and 49 staff from NHS Lanarkshire and health service partners, rank the three potential sites for a replacement University Hospital Monklands in line with the agreed benefits criteria.

Graham Johnston, NHS Lanarkshire head of planning and development, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has taken the opportunity to give us their views, either by making written submissions, attending our engagement events or making nominations to take part in the scoring event.”

Most recently a People’s Hearing took place on Monday 2 March. An independent panel heard representations from members of the public, elected members and the University Hospital Monklands medical staff association. Following this, the panel discussed the benefits criteria. A video of this discussion is available on the MRP section of the NHS Lanarkshire website – www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk

Graham said: “The feedback we have received will help to inform the presentation given to the community and staff scoring event participants.

“While there are no changes to the site information already published, we agreed to provide some further detailed information in respect of travel times, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data and a staff postcode analysis which is available on our website at www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk.”

As well as the additional information, the NHS Lanarkshire public website has been updated to include videos of the People’s Hearing and audio files of the Community Discussions. There are also photographs of the notes taken at the Community Discussions.

Graham said: “Following a public request for suggestions for benefits criteria, a number of suggestions were received. These were all considered by the People’s Hearing panel, led by the Consultation Institute, on Monday 2 March and the panel has recommended that we proceed to scoring with five criteria. NHS Lanarkshire accepted this recommendation.”

The updated benefits criteria, which will be used by the scoring event participants, has also been posted on the website at www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk.

The five benefits criteria are:

• Travel times by road and public transport – patients
• Travel times by road and public transport – staff
• Access/connectivity to regional centres
• Contamination
• Impact of cross border flow – impact of Glasgow residents attending the hospital