Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Good transport links a must for new hospital
Report highlights importance of access and cost
Public transport access and costs are among the main themes raised in a new report considering the three potential locations for the new University Hospital Monklands.
NHS Lanarkshire published its Fairer Scotland Duty assessment (FSDA) – analysing the social and economic impacts of relocating the hospital and prepared with input from staff–as part of the recentlyconcluded feedback period following the latest site scoring exercise which ranked Wester Moffat ahead of the Gartcosh and Glenmavis.
It concludes that building a new hospital at any of the three sites “is anticipated to have positive impacts on the Lanarkshire population, including employment during the build phase, improved healthcare and improved transport infrastructure”.
On transport, it adds: “Relocating the hospital from Airdrie may have a negative impact on the local community, particularly staff, patients and carers on low incomes who do not have access to a car as public transport is not currently sufficient.
“The commute to the new site is also likely to be more expensive for those who live closest to the current hospital.”
The report makes 14 recommendations to the health board “to mitigate negative impacts of the hospital relocation and maximise opportunities to reduce poverty through the build and hospital relocation process”.
Among them are helping ensure lower-paid staff can stay in employment at whichever new site is chosen, “ensuring that they are not disadvantaged by cost of travel and minimising the impact of travelling time”, and considering providing subsidised childcare facilities for staff to further reduce their time and cost spent on public transport.
They also include suggestions on discounted or free travel for specific groups, improving travel links to the chosen site including a transport hub and ensuring that the planned East Airdrie link road is operational before the new hospital to reduce congestion.
Further issues identified are the need to regenerate the existing hospital site, including with community healthcare facilities; ensure that “those in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas benefit from jobs in construction and in the new hospital” and to “improve digital exclusion so that people are not disadvantaged through increased use of technology”. NHS Lanarkshire director of public health Gabe Docherty said: “The Fairer Scotland Duty means giving consideration to how moving University Hospital Monklands to a new site may impact on those who live in poverty.
“[ It also means considering] how, through the new hospital development, we can mitigate these impacts and identify opportunities to reduce socioeconomic disadvantage – for example, through increased jobs for local people or better transport being put in place as a result of the new build.”
The report was compiled following workshops and focus groups with lower-paid hospital staff, plus recent phone surveys and a transport analysis report conducted earlier this year. It notes: “University Hospital Monklands has been in the Airdrie area for over 40 years and is regarded as a community asset to local people and to staff.
“The sense of belonging and pride in the current Monklands Hospital by the local community should not be underestimated – the community may feel a sense of loss of a longstanding asset.”
Colin Lauder, the health board’s director of planning, property and performance, said: “The FSDA is among several factors to be considered by the board before they recommend a preferred site option to the health secretary, who will make a final decision.
“These include the views gathered during a period of public and staff feedback on the option appraisal of the three potential sites.”