Ninewells medicines facility under way

A FACILITY under construction at the Ninewells Hospital site will house the NHS Scotland Pharmaceutical “Specials” Service.

The service manufactures medicines when available licensed medicines don’t meet specific needs of patients.

Examples include medicines for patients who have swallowing difficulties such as stroke patients and paediatric patients, specialist ointments and creams for dermatology patients and medicines for patients who cannot tolerate preservatives and other ingredients in licensed medicines.

The two current NHS Scotland manufacturing units — at Ninewells and Glasgow’s Western Infirmary — will be amalgamated into the new state-of-the-art facility, which will open in 2018.

Dr Baxter Millar, head of the service said: “This is a hugely important and exciting opportunity for establishing a national pharmaceutical manufacturing service at Ninewells.

“It will contribute to the care of NHS patients over the next 30 years and beyond.

“The facility will be fully compliant with current standards demanded of pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities as well as allowing for future increased production capacity.

“There is also an opportunity for new jobs being created locally.”