A&E closure in ‘super hospital’ move

THE latest stage in the transition of Glasgow health services saw A&E at the Western close this morning.

The emergency department shut at 8am today and inpatient departments will transfer over the course of the weekend to the new South Glasgow University Hospital.

The move is the latest in a phased migration of services from various city hospitals to the new stateof-the-art £842million hospital campus.

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “The move has gone smoothly so far.

“There have been no problems reported.

“This is the next step in the plan – to move services to the new facility – has so far been going very well.”

The emergency department at Yorkhill is scheduled for closure at 8am on June 10 – in the next step in relocating services to the super hospital.

Day surgery and inpatient services at Yorkhill will close between June 10 and12 and out patient services will close between June 12 and 14.

However, a union has called for a postponement to the planned closures, fearing staff are being placed under immense pressure to deliver the tight timetable involved.

Matt McLaughlin, Unison regional organiser, said: “At the moment it feels as though people are firefighting and what we are l ooking for is a planned, strategic approach which delivers a safe service for patients and staff.

Meanwhile, Glasgow University has submitted a planning application to build a new medical research facility on the site of the old Southern General Hospital, which is due to be demolished this summer.