This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Key NHS bodies relocate to single site
28/06/2005
Public sector jobs in the health service are being
relocated from Edinburgh to a single site in Glasgow, it
was announced today.
Under the plans, the head office functions of NHS Health
Scotland and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are to be
relocated from Edinburgh to a single site in the eastern
half of Glasgow.
In addition, head office functions of NHS Education
Scotland will relocate from Edinburgh, and are likely to be
located along with some existing Glasgow-based NHS National
Services Scotland posts at a new location in Glasgow.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said that concentrating key
health organisations in Glasgow signals practical
commitment to health improvement, designed to help them
work more effectively in the long term and to deliver a
better service for the public.
He said:
"Building a health service which serves the public
better means not only improving frontline operation, but
also looking for greater cooperation and efficiencies
behind the scenes as well.
"These organisations are of vital importance to us, to
help us to ensure that we deliver health services in
Scotland that are world-class.
"They play a key role in support of delivering the
health agenda. They promote improvement in the health of
Scotland's population, ensure and improve the quality of
NHS services and deliver learning and development for NHS
staff.
"By combining these organisations in this way we will
strengthen support for improving health and health
services, and make it easier for them to work closer
together.
"It will also improve employment and career development
opportunities for staff who will find it easier to move
between the bodies involved.
"This move will strengthen Glasgow as a leading centre
for the delivery of health services and will help us drive
ahead in improving people's health.
"Today's decision also underlines our commitment to
improve the health of Scotland's population. Locating key
organisations in an area of Glasgow where there is an
urgent need to improve the standards of health of the
population demonstrates the priority the Executive gives to
tackling health inequalities."
The plans will involve around 250 posts being relocated
from Edinburgh.
These decisions follow relocation reviews for NHS
Quality Improvement Scotland; NHS Health Scotland and NHS
Education Scotland. The Executive's policy on relocation is
that where a new unit or Agency is established, or where an
existing unit is merged or otherwise reorganised, there
should be a presumption in favour of locating outside
Edinburgh. The reviews considered property costs and
options, and the socio-economic benefits of different
locations. They also looked at the advantages of locating
different bodies together, including along with existing
NHS jobs in Glasgow.
The organisations involved will encourage as many
existing post-holders as possible to transfer to Glasgow.
To retain experienced employees in the NHS, NHS employers
will take the measures outlined in the NHS Scotland
Organisational Change Policy. This may mean seeking to
identify suitable re-deployment opportunities within the
NHS locally for any staff unable or unwilling to take up
post in Glasgow.
It is expected that relocation would be completed by May
2007.