MSPhitsoutatpatientsbeing‘treatedincarpark’

FRASER WILSON

A new operating theatre at Hairmyres Hospital will not be ready until the end of next summer.

That will see the controversial ‘temporary theatre facility’ erected on hospital grounds in place for a total of 26 weeks.

And it means spaces in the already stretched car park will be at a premium until then.

NHS Lanarkshire came in for significant criticism last month after the temporary theatre appeared on the grounds at Hairmyres.

That included jibes from Monica Lennon MSP, who said she thought the unit was “huts for construction workers”. But director of hospital services for Hairmyres, Russell Coulthard, says the facility is ‘state of the art’ and will not hinder the quality of the care offered.

He told the News: “We have long-standing plans to upgrade one of our operating theatres. To allow us to carry out this work, and ensure there is no impact on patient services, it is essential we have an alternative theatre.

“The temporary facility is a fully functioning, modern, operating theatre which adheres to national infection prevention and control guidelines.

“Similar temporary theatre units are in operation successfully across the UK.

“The facility is expected be operational from January 2020 and the theatre upgrade is expected to take 26 weeks.” Work will see the current theatre eight upgraded from a ‘general’ theatre to one specialising in orthopaedic joint replacement surgery.

Mr Coulthard said the work – which has come in the middle of winter, a time that usually sees hospital wards severely stretched – was not indicative of structural problems or infection control concerns at Hairmyres.

He said the work would “ensure” the theatre is available “towards the end of summer 2020” and that the additional activity over winter was “unrelated to the work of this theatre”.

“Postponing this would be of little benefit and would increase the risk of delay in providing the necessary theatre accommodation,” he told the News.

“The hospital is not losing a general theatre due to this work. The upgrade is to provide a third theatre.”

Parking at the hospital has been a serious issue, yet five spaces will be lost until the end of the upgrade works.

Mr Coulthard said it was “not possible” to reschedule operations to other NHS Lanarkshire hospitals due to lack of availability at those.

Scottish Labour’s spokeswoman, Ms Lennon said: “It beggars belief this passes for an operating theatre – patients deserve better than being treated in the car park.

“It might be a temporary measure but it’s a backwards step. The NHS in Scotland is in chaos and patients and staff have had enough of sticking-plaster solutions.

“Nicola Sturgeon and Jeane Freeman should be ashamed of what is happening to our health service under their watch.”