An independently-facilitated Community and Staff Scoring Event was held by NHS Lanarkshire on 10 March to evaluate the three potential sites for a new, state-of-the-art University Hospital Monklands.
A scoring panel of 87 people – members of the community and staff from NHS Lanarkshire and health service partners – met at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie and worked together to evaluate the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) site options: (in alphabetical order) Gartcosh, Glenmavis and Wester Moffat.
The outcome of the scoring event does not represent a decision on the preferred option for a hospital site and is only one factor in the overall decision-making process.
The scores for each site were allocated using an agreed set of non-financial benefits criteria, developed with the input of the community:
• Travel times by road and public transport – patients;
• Travel times by road and public transport – staff;
• Access/connectivity to NHS regional centres;
• Contamination;
• Impact of cross-border flow (ie patients from Glasgow attending the hospital).
The final scores for each site (in alphabetical order) were:
• Gartcosh – 602.3
• Glenmavis – 479.3
• Wester Moffat – 528.3
NHS Lanarkshire director of planning, property & performance Colin Lauder said: “We’d like to thank all those who generously gave their time to participate in the scoring event, the outcome of which is only one of several factors that will allow the Board of NHS Lanarkshire to identify a preferred option for the new hospital.
“Today’s event saw the community and staff providing a score for the non-financial benefits of each site. We will now undertake a process to add in the cost factor for each site, which will result in the calculation of a ‘cost per benefit point’.
“That evaluation will be included within a report, which will also include detailed information about the scoring event, to be published on the dedicated MRP webpage – www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk – by the end of this week.
“There will now be a period of further public and staff engagement, running until 24 March, to give the community the opportunity to provide feedback on the scoring event outcome.
“Following the two-week feedback process, the evaluation report will be considered by the Monklands Replacement Oversight Board, a governance committee of the NHS Board that provides oversight and assurance on the MRP, and includes public representatives and independent, expert members.
“It’s important to stress that the outcome of the scoring event is not a final decision on a hospital location. It is only one factor which will be considered by NHS Lanarkshire’s Board, along with all of the other evidence collected during the public and staff engagement process.
“The Board of NHS Lanarkshire will meet in April to identify a preferred option for the new University Hospital Monklands site. The Board’s preferred option will be a recommendation to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport, Jeane Freeman, who will give final approval.”
MRP director Graeme Reid added: “The vision for a new Monklands – Scotland’s first digital hospital – is extremely positive for both patients, who will be treated in the most modern of surroundings, and for our dedicated staff, who will have the opportunity to care for patients using a ‘clinical model’ that will offer the best possible healthcare.
“The scoring event is one of the important stages in the process of identifying a preferred site option for an exciting, new state-of-the art hospital for the communities of Lanarkshire.”
Further public feedback can be provided by:
Emailing – MRP.Team@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
writing to – FREEPOST RTEJ-HZLK-AETZ, Communications Dept, NHS Lanarkshire, Kirklands, Fallside Road, Bothwell, G71 8BB,
Phoning – 01236 713348.
Full details of the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) at www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk.
The scoring event was overseen by an independent facilitator who is an associate of the Consultation Institute, international experts in public engagement who have provided advice to NHS Lanarkshire about its engagement process.
