First Minister hails new Stobhill’s part in healthcare revolution

First Minister Alex Salmond has officially opened the £100m New Stobhill Hospital, describing the occasion as a ‘fantastic day’ and hailing a ‘revolution in the treatment of people, not just in Glasgow but across the West of Scotland’.
Less than a year after it opened to patients, New Stobhill has won three prestigious design awards and boasts many state-of-the-art facilities. Thousands of surgical patients, who would ordinarily have required an overnight stay, are having their operations as day procedures, allowing them to recuperate in the comfort of their own homes.
Mr Salmond, who recently attended the opening of the new Victoria Hospital at Langside on the South Side of the city, told his audience: ‘What is common about both hospitals is the huge appreciation that the patients I spoke to have for not just the new building and the new facilities, crucially important though these are, but for the staff and the care and attention they’re getting.
‘As far as the treatment and facilities are concerned, there is a ringing endorsement for this revolution in the health service.’
The bright and airy new building is certainly far removed from its 440-bed red brick neighbour. There are 12 short-stay beds, traditional outpatient facilities and new ‘one-stop’ clinics. NHS Great Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGG&C) said that New Stobhill is expected to treat more than 400,000 patients annually.
‘This is a hospital that has a tremendous throughput of patients and staff and yet, it’s designed in such a way that it doesn’t look crowded. That’s a simple design in many ways and an act of genius,’ said Mr Salmond.
Andrew Robertson, NHSGG&C Chairman, said: ‘This building represents a number of important milestones. Firstly, it’s a key milestone on the delivery of our acute services strategy.
‘Secondly, we’re transferring the balance of care away from overnight procedures to a much greater emphasis on day procedures.
‘In all that, we believe we are truly improving the patient experience. There’s quicker treatment and fewer hospital visits are required.
‘We are also ensuring much better use of staff resources,’ Mr Robertson added, explaining this would be a critical factor in achieving the aims of NHSGG&C’s review of its acute services and the means of affording and delivering them.