Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Have your say on new hospital site
The people of Airdrie and Coatbridge will have another chance to have their say on the future of Monklands Hospital during an upcoming series of community events.
NHS Lanarkshire has launched its process of further public and staff engagement around the three potential alternative sites for a new, stateof-the-art hospital.
The engagement programme gives the community the chance to provide feedback on the shortlist of sites for the hospital – Gartcosh, Glenmavis and Wester Moffat – before a site evaluation process is undertaken on March 10 through a formal scoring event involving a representative group of members of the public and NHS staff.
A people’s hearing event will take place on Monday, March 2, at the Penny Cars Stadium in Airdrie from 10am to 8pm.
A panel w i l l h e a r representations from members of the public or organised groups about any concerns they have about the “accuracy or legitimacy of any information on the shortlisted sites issued by NHS Lanarkshire”.
This feedback will then be assessed by the panel to inform the information to be presented at the site-scoring event.
As well as registration to take part, the people’s hearing will require “advance submission of a participant’s written evidence and/or presentation material”, which must be made by February 24; for information on how to take part, see the people’s hearing briefing sheet at www.monklands.scot.nhs. uk.
Monklands replacement project (MRP) director Graeme Reid said: “As we prepare for the community and staff-scoring event, the public’s input is vital.
“We’re publishing a set of detailed information about each of the three shortlisted sites to ensure the public and our staff have as much information as possible to help them to get involved.
“Now available on the MRP website – www. monklands. scot.nhs.uk – is transport and travel information, equality and diversity impact documents and the Fairer Scotland Duty Assessment, which covers the socio-economic impacts of the proposals.
“We will also publish further information, covering site history, site conditions, site groundwork/ remediation costs, road infrastructure costs and construction costs.
“We’re encouraging the public and staff to take the opportunity to read and assess this information and then decide if they want to offer to get directly involved in the site-scoring event or give feedback through our engagement channels that will help to inform the presentation given to the scoring event participants.”
A community and staffscoring event will be held at Penny Cars Stadium on March 10, from 12pm to 4pm.
The public can nominate themselves or their community group as one of the participants and NHS Lanarkshire colleagues can nominate themselves as staff representatives; nominations must be made by 12 noon on Monday, February 17, at www. monklands.scot.nhs.uk.
Community discussions will take place at Gartlea community centre on Tuesday, February 18, Gartcosh social club the following day and Coatbridge’s Conforti Institute on Thursday, February 27, all from 7pm to 9pm.
These events will comprise a 10 to 15-minute presentation setting out the site selection and scoring process followed by table- top discussions to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to provide feedback.
You must register to take part by emailing MRP. Team@lanarkshire.scot.nhs. uk, including “community discussion” and the name of the venue in the subject line and providing your name, address, postcode and daytime contact number, or calling 01236 713348.
Graeme added: “Along with services for the hospital’s catchment population, including A& E, the new Monklands will continue to provide the same Lanarkshirewide services as the existing hospital, including cancer care, communicable diseases, ear, nose and throat and renal.
“So, it’s crucial that members of the community across the whole of Lanarkshire get involved in the engagement process.”