NHS Scotland assets and facilities 2017: annual report

1.0 Delivering NHSScotland’s Future

1.1 Introduction

Since the introduction of the Healthcare Quality Strategy for NHSScotland, and the Asset Management Policy introduced back in 2010, the health estate & facilities sector has been tasked with modernising the estate, delivering the most effective facilities services arrangements, and enhancing the potential from the best available medical equipment and IT assets. SAFR 2015 provided a mid-point review of improvements already made to asset management across NHSScotland and the major asset investment programme now delivered. This provided a reminder of how effective asset management and investment planning has become in supporting the delivery of NHSScotland’s 2020 Vision.

This year has seen further progress in the completion of important NHS infrastructure projects; including the opening of the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, the Jack Copland Centre for Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, a new facility for adult mental health inpatient services at Royal Edinburgh Hospital, the Maryhill Health & Care Centre in Glasgow, and primary & community care centres in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Grampian. Each of these new facilities will undoubtedly provide modern accommodation designed for enhanced service provision across acute, primary, community and elderly care.

The following provides an overview of the benefits that both the new Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and the Jack Copland Centre will have on the way that health and care is delivered and supported in the region.

1.2 Delivering the New Acute Hospital for Dumfries

Construction of the £275m replacement hospital in Dumfries will become a catalyst for the delivery of fundamental improvements in the way that healthcare is delivered in the region and bring major benefits to a population with significant demographic and geographic challenges.

The new 344 bed hospital will enable new models of care to be delivered through the introduction of single rooms, a combined theatre and 23 hour surgery area, and an integrated emergency care centre and assessment unit. The whole hospital is designed to provide patients with an enhanced level of care and treatment and, where necessary, be seen, diagnosed, and a treatment plan established, without using mainstream hospital beds.

This project is probably one of the largest and most complex projects ever delivered in Dumfries and it was therefore an important opportunity to be able to promote the economic regeneration of the area by offering employment and training opportunities for individuals, contracts for local businesses, and engagement with children and young people in schools and colleges. To date this has included over 50 (each) work placements, apprenticeships, and career events / presentations; plus 135 locally advertised employment opportunities. Local people have thus been instrumental in ensuring the successful delivery of this major construction project whilst at the same time gaining valuable experience working on this exciting new project.

1.3 The Jack Copland Centre

The new Jack Copland Centre brings together on a single site a range of Scottish National Blood Transfusion Services (SNBTS) which create a facility capable of delivering a first rate service in the processing, testing, supply, research and development of blood and human donor tissues and cells.

The new Centre will be adaptable to increasing and changing demands for the service, and is designed to improve regulatory standards, costs and operational efficiencies. It will also provide a modern, vibrant environment for staff to work within.

Blood donations from across Scotland will now be sent to this new facility for processing, testing and manufacturing before being transported to where they are needed for patients.

1.4 The Look Ahead

Looking further ahead, the new National Clinical Strategy and the Health and Social Care Delivery Plan are expected to generate plans to transform how health and care services are delivered in the future. In response, Regional Boards have been formed across the North, East, and West regions of Scotland to look at local, regional and national service reform and infrastructure investment needs to create a new, long term vision for NHSScotland.

A first step in this new direction will be to deliver the elective centres programme, which will develop a network of new treatment centres across Scotland. The service and property planning processes are continuing to develop for each of the six proposed centres at Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank, St John’s Hospital in Livingston, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Raigmore Hospital in Inverness, and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

A new National Infrastructure Board is also expected to be formed in 2018 to support the emerging plans emanating from the National Clinical Strategy. It will develop a National Infrastructure Strategy to provide a framework for change and investment across the whole of NHSScotland, from which regional and local investment plans can be informed. It will also become a national authoritative body to ensure the continued safe and effective operation of the retained estate and other associated assets.

In this time of transformational change in healthcare provision, successful delivery of the National Clinical Strategy and Health and Social Care Delivery Plan will depend, in part, on the provision of a health and care estate, and supporting services, which are capable of adapting to and encouraging new models of care delivery. The initiatives described above are thus expected to form the necessary framework from which these changes can take place.