Scottish NHS still relies on almost 600 buildings which are more than 70 years old

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today said that making sure the NHS has the facilities it needs to thrive must be a top priority, after new research by his party revealed that almost 600 NHS buildings are more than 70 years old.

A Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request to all of Scotland’s health boards found that:

• There are 597 NHS buildings over 70 years old across Scotland.
• 121 of these are located in NHS Glasgow, where there are also 210 buildings up to 50 years old.
• 104 buildings are more than 70 years in old in NHS Lothian. This figure is 97 in NHS Grampian and 93 in NHS Tayside.
• In NHS Ayrshire and Arran 30 buildings are more than 80 years old- predating the founding of the NHS.
• Across Scotland, there are also at least 18 buildings which are both more than 70 years old and require high risk repairs.

In December, it was reported that NHS Scotland's maintenance backlog was now more than £1.3bn.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

"These figures show that the Scottish NHS is still relying on hundreds of buildings which are almost as old as the health service itself.

"While there will be many old buildings which have undergone the appropriate modernisation, the scale of the NHS's maintenance backlog suggests that many of them have not kept pace with where health boards would like them to be.

“It is a national scandal that millions across the country are being treated in old and crumbling buildings that are no longer fit for purpose.

“The SNP have constantly delayed and paused new building projects. I know from speaking with hospital staff that they believe poor facilities are holding them back from treating patients as swiftly and effectively as they would like.

“In budget negotiations, Liberal Democrats secured commitments to advance the new Edinburgh Eye Hospital, as well as replacements for the Belford Hospital in Fort William and the Gilbert Bain in Shetland. But there are many more projects like these which have been neglected by the SNP for too long.

“Making sure people can get swift access to local health care in safe buildings should be a top priority for every political party. That’s what you get with the Scottish Liberal Democrats. I don’t believe the SNP can say the same.”