Ex-uni chief’s key role in hospital

A former chief at Paisley’s university played a vital role in creating NHS Louisa Jordan.

Professor Paul Martin, who was the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) deputy principal, helped organise Scotland’s largest temporary hospital to help fight coronavirus.

His role involved advising and informing both the clinical shape of the hospital’s services and translating this into an integrated workforce model, looking at staff numbers and skills, training and deployment.

He said: “One of the most impressive experiences was the teamwork across the project – from the designers, to procurement, to clinical modelling. All of which was person- centred and connected to the core values of the NHS across Scotland.”

The temporary hospital based at Glasgow’s SEC, which was created in less than three weeks, is part of the NHS Scotland hospital family and an integral part of the collective response to coronavirus.

The £ 43million facility, which was completed on Monday, will be able to care for just over 1,000 patients – but it is hoped that the hospital will not be needed.

He added: “Universities played a key role in the creation of the hospital, having informed the evidence base that underpinned the patient care standards; the research, for example, that supported design and infection control decisions; and, perhaps most importantly, the preparation of the broad clinical workforce.”

Professor Martin took up the role of depute principal in 2013 until his retirement in 2018 and was awarded a CBE in recognition of his services to health and education.