Have your say on location of Monklands Hospital

JUDITH TONNER

Airdrie and Coatbridge residents are now being asked for their suggestions for the future location of University Hospital Monklands, as part of the ongoing re- evaluation of sites.

NHS Lanarkshire is “inviting the people of Lanarkshire to submit nominations for alternative sites” which meet the five key criteria for a new hospital.

Any suggested locations must be within the hospital’s existing catchment area for unscheduled care, and have no detrimental impact on the catchments of neighbouring hospitals in

Lanarkshire, Glasgow or Forth Valley.

They must also be a minimum of 40 developable acres, appropriately designated by North Lanarkshire Council for development, and have sufficient road and transport infrastructure to support a major hospital site.

Health board officials have also asked North Lanarkshire Council to carry out a site search in relation to the new hospital, ahead of “embarking on the next phase” of the replacement project in January.

Monklands replacement project director Graeme Reid said: “We are interested in hearing from the community if they think there are any additional sites which meet the five-point criteria; we will then fully assess all those identified along with the existing sites.”

It follows the findings of an independent review into last year’s site selection and appraisal process, ordered by the Scottish Government, in the wake of the response which saw Gartcosh controversially emerge as the topscoring option for the planned new £400 million hospital.

Local residents and politicians had objected to Gartcosh, disputing travel times and raising issues relating to public transport, congestion, site suitability and the appraisal and scoring process; with thousands signing petitions calling for the hospital to be retained in a “central Monklands” location.

NHS Lanarkshire is currently following instructions to reassess the site and alternative option

Glenmavis, with the review also recommending that the exercise should “explicitly and transparently take account of the views of the public, obtained following an inclusive process”.

Property, planning and performance director Colin Lauder told the Advertiser in August: “A further public engagement process will be held, designed and co-ordinated by an independent adviser to ensure public confidence.

“It will gather feedback on the proposed locations and will involve publication of detailed information on key issues of interest to the public such as existing and planned road infrastructure around the sites, records showing previous use, site investigation reports, impact on hospital catchment areas, and travel information including drive times and public transport provision.

“There will [ then] be an independently- chaired reevaluation exercise for Gartcosh, Glenmavis and any new sites identified; this will involve a large group of stakeholders, including members of the public.”

NHS Lanarkshire has also established a Monklands replacement oversight board, chaired by former solicitor general Dr Lesley Thomson QC.

Any public nominations for new sites for the hospital are to be submitted by emailing MRP. Team@ lanarkshire. scot. nhs. uk by Friday, December 13.