Monklands Hospital site selected by NHS Lanarkshire
- Published
![Monklands Hospital](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/standard/976/cpsprodpb/343A/production/_116107331_monklands_getty.jpg)
NHS Lanarkshire has approved a preferred site for the new Monklands Hospital
The board of NHS Lanarkshire has approved a preferred site for rebuilding Monklands Hospital.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman will now make a final decision on using Wester Moffat farmland, near Airdrie, for the development.
Gartcosh and Glenmavis were also considered at the board meeting on Thursday.
Neena Mahal, who chairs the board, said the selection was a "significant milestone".
Farmland in Wester Moffat has been chosen as NHS Lanarkshire's preferred site
Gartcosh and Glenmavis were initially considered before Wester Moffat was introduced as a new location in January.
It was identified through a public site nominations process run by the health board. The local community was then given the chance to give feedback on the sites.
A site re-evaluation process then took place through a formal scoring event in March which involved a group of 100 people, made up of members of the public and NHS staff.
Ms Mahal said issues including travel, transport, site contamination, patients' residences and the socio-economic impact of relocating the hospital were of "key interest" to the community.
Gartcosh, Glenmavis and Wester Moffat were the three sites considered
Ms Mahal said: "I would like to thank the public and our staff for their extensive participation during the engagement process on the Monklands Replacement Project.
"I would also like to acknowledge the hard work of the Monklands Replacement Project team, who provided the Board with the comprehensive information which formed the basis of our deliberations."
Accessibility
The decision was welcomed by local MSP Alex Neil and MP Neil Gray who called the Wester Moffat site "ideal" and will provide "easy access" for patients.
Mr Neil said he hoped the Scottish government would "quickly accept" the board's recommendation.
NHS Lanarkshire intends to create a "health and wellbeing village" on the current site of University Hospital Monklands to enable the local community to benefit from community-based healthcare.
The new hospital is due to be opened by 2026/7.
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