Health Secretary launches £840m hospitals campus

Gemma Mackenzie and Martin Graham

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has launched the new £840m South Glasgow Hospitals Campus in Govan.
The building, which is due for completion in 2015, will be the largest single NHS hospital built in Scotland’s history.
It is expected to bring around 2500 jobs to the area and contribute £30m annually to Glasgow’s economy.
Commenting on the development, the Health Secretary said: ‘This is a massive project, it will be one of the biggest hospital campuses in the whole of the UK and it’s the biggest ever hospital construction project in Scotland.
‘It will bring together the adult, the children’s and the maternity hospitals on to one site and medical opinion says that this is the gold standard for healthcare.
‘It’s really exciting, it’s the best thing that’s happened to the NHS in the West of Scotland for a long time.’
Chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Andrew Robertson said: ‘The redevelopment of the Southern General site is a catalyst for wider economic and social regeneration activity, contributing positively to the physical development of the local area, the South West economy and that of the wider locality.’
Ross Ballingall, the director of Brookfield Construction UK, who are building the campus, said: ‘With the size and timescale of the New South Glasgow Hospitals complex we have the opportunity to create a meaningful and lasting legacy for the surrounding area.
‘We and our supply chain will, where possible, be advertising for local sub-contractors and offering jobs and training to local apprentices and people who are currently unemployed.’
The project was praised by Cardonald College, who offer a number of apprenticeship schemes.
Principal and Chief Executive, Susan Walsh said: ‘This regeneration of our local area, and subsequent creation of jobs which we hope many of our students can fill, is a tremendous boost for the south-west of Glasgow.’