NHS Lanarkshire is reminding the public of the opportunity to nominate additional potential sites for a new, state-of-the-art University Hospital Monklands.
The closing date for the community’s suggestions is noon on December 13.
The Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) is seeking the public’s nominations for specific sites, additional to Gartcosh and Glenmavis, which they believe meet the five site selection criteria.
• Within the University Hospital Monklands unscheduled care catchment area.
CLICK HERE to see a map of the nominal catchment area.
• A minimum of 40 acres of developable land.
That’s an area at least the size of 40 football pitches . The current Monklands site is 27 acres. The approximate area required depends on features such as shape, slope, etc.
• Sufficient road and transport infrastructure for a major hospital site.
Contractors will need to get to the site to build a new hospital. When it opens there will have to be good access from the road network so that patients, staff and visitors can get there.
• Designated for this type of development by North Lanarkshire Council.
The site needs to have a realistic chance of getting planning approval from North Lanarkshire Council.
• The site has no detrimental impact on adjoining unscheduled care catchment areas of hospitals in Lanarkshire, Glasgow or Forth Valley.
The closer a new hospital is to an existing one, the more disruptive this can be to patient flows, particularly to A&E. NHS Lanarkshire will assess the impact of any proposed site on adjacent hospitals.
MRP director Graeme Reid said: “After extensive review, the existing site of University Hospital Monklands is considered too small to build a replacement, especially whilst maintaining an operational hospital.
“We are therefore looking for an alternative site and we want the public’s help to make sure we’ve considered all the possibilities.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed suggestions since we launched the call for site nominations on 31 October. These nominations and all further suggestions we receive up to noon on 13 December will be assessed against the five site selection criteria
“The public shouldn’t be concerned if they’re not sure whether or not their site suggestion matches all the criteria. NHS Lanarkshire will work that out when we receive the nomination.
“We’re looking for nominations for a specific site, not just a general area, and it would be very helpful if submissions included as much information as possible to allow us to identify the site – the name it’s known by, its postcode, what it is bounded by etc.
“Any nominations that meet all the criteria will be included in an upcoming site re-evaluation process along with the two viable sites previously identified – Gartcosh and Glenmavis – plus any other suitable options that emerge from a site search by North Lanarkshire Council.
“We will carry out extensive further public engagement prior to the re-evaluation process to ensure the community’s feedback on the shortlisted sites is taken account of fully.”
NHS Lanarkshire is also distributing leaflets and posters promoting the site nomination process to community venues so that anyone who prefers to send a nomination by Freepost rather than online can do so.
The dedicated MRP webpage – monklands.scot.nhs.uk – has also been updated, with an online site nomination form, an animated video explaining the site nomination process, and a leaflet and poster, which can be printed and distributed by anyone who wishes to help to encourage participation in their local community.
There will be a roadshow at University Hospital Monklands on 28 November so that the public and staff can pick up a site nomination information leaflet:
• 12-2pm at the restaurant;
• 2-4pm at the main entrance.
Site nominations should be made by noon on 13 December 2019.
By email to MRP.Team@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Online at www.monklands.scot.nhs.uk
Or by post to FREEPOST RTEJ-HZLK-AETZ, Communications Department NHS Lanarkshire, Kirklands, Fallside Road, Bothwell, G71 8BB
