COVID HOSPITAL TO COST US £67M
A hospital built to treat Covid-19 patients will cost taxpayers more than £67million by the time it is shut down.
Ministers have admit ted construction and deconstruction of the NHS Louisa Jordan will total £ 38million, with a further £29million in running costs. However, the final f igure is expected to further soar after Health Secretary Jeane Freeman revealed a bill for “loss of earnings” is yet to be agreed with the site management at Glasgow’s SEC – despite mass gathering events which could take place there being banned.
The field hospital was set up over fears coronavirus patients could overwhelm the health service.
It is yet to treat any sufferers but 2000 outpatient consultations have been held in recent weeks after a public outcry it had not been used. In response to a parliamentary question from Scottish Labour’s Sandra White, Freeman said: “The NHS Louisa Jordan was established to help ensure NHS Scotland had extra capacity to treat patients during the Covid-19 pandemic and stood ready to do so since April pril 20, 2020. The he set-up costs are £ 31million.
“The total infrastructure costs, including ing set-up and decommissioning, are within the overall estimated costs of £ 38million. The lease for the NHS Louisa Jordan at the SEC has been extended until the end of April 2021 and expected running costs to then are £29million.
“It should be noted negotiations with the SEC are ongoing in relation to potential loss of income. “Based on the total costs of the NHS England programme (£220million), we are confident that NHS Louisa Jordan represents value for money.
“We will continue to monitor monthly running costs with regards to the NHS Louisa Jordan’ s role in remobilisation of NHS services.”
The hospital has been used to carry out about 2000 orthopaedic and plastic surgery outpatient
consultations since the start of July. It is unclear which events could have been held at the SEC – which is 90 per cent owned by Glasgow City Council, with the rest in the hands of private investors – given mass gatherings have been banned for months.
QD Events, a firm owned by the SEC, recently announced the Irn-Bru Carnival would not go ahead, claiming this was because NHS Louisa Jordan was on the site.
It is unclear whether this event, which would have been highly unlikely to be able to go ahead anyway, is one for which the SEC is hoping to be compensated.
Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron said: “At the time the Louisa Jordan was built, it was absolutely necessary as we sought to protect our NHS from being overstretched. It can now serve as a vital resource in tackl ing the backlog of operations that has grown over the last few months.
“The SNP has to be ful ly transparent about just how much all this is going to cost the public purse, given that the final bill could be huge if venues are going to be compensated for loss of earnings as well.”
Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Monica Lennon said: “The Scottish Government must ensure the NHS Louisa Jordan is used to its full potential and that public money is used responsibly. Compensation payments to the SEC must be transparent and justified.
“Just this week, Scotland’s two biggest health boards said they need an extra £ 500million to cover the cost of the pandemic. This needs to be a priority for SNP ministers and is all the more reason why we need to keep a watchful eye on the millions being paid to private firms.
“Scottish Labour called for the NHS Louisa Jordan to be utilised to treat patients who are stuck on growing waiting lists.
“After all, no one wants to see a multimillion- pound hospital being under-used when so many are in pain.”
The Scottish Government said: “The Cabinet Secretary announced on July 5 that some planned healthcare that was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic will now be carried out at the NHS Louisa Jordan to help NHS Scotland recover and the hospital has seen around 2000 patients, including orthopaedic, plastic surgery and dermatology consultations, since the start of July.
“In addition, imaging services have started, with CT patients being seen onsite.
“General X-ray services to support orthopaedic clinics commence on September 21 and activity is anticipated to increase from 500 to 2000 per week by mid-October, with a range of additional outpatient services to support NHS Scotland.
“The SEC do not charge the NHS Louisa Jordan rental fees for the venue but will charge for any costs, such as heating and lighting, directly attributable to its use as a medical facility. The agreement with SEC included a clause allowing for loss of earnings.”
The SEC said: “Our agreement with the Scottish Government to facilitate NHS Louisa Jordan includes a clause about loss of earnings.
“Details of this will be considered in due course.”