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Support for heart and lung patients
23/06/2009
Two new intensive care beds are to be provided at the West of Scotland Heart and Lung Centre.
Funded jointly by the Scottsh Government and the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, the beds will help the centre - based at the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Clydebank - to continue to meet national waiting times guarantees.
The centre, one of the largest specialist units in the UK, was set up in May 2008 and provides cardiac and cardiothoracic treatment. Today's announcement increases the number of beds to 21.
Public Health Minister Shona Robison said:
"Reducing waiting times for patients is a key priority for this government and we're working towards a maximum wait of 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment by 2011.
"These additional beds will allow the Golden Jubilee National Hospital to treat more patients, helping them to meet the waiting time guarantees.
"Cardiothoracic patients frequently require intensive care so I am sure these extra beds will make a big difference for the centre."
Jill Young, Chief Executive of the Golden Jubilee National Hospital, said:
"This is good news for the population of Scotland who are treated at our specialist centre for a number of surgical and interventional heart and lung procedures.
"This joint announcement today will see our intensive care beds rise to 21 meaning we can treat more people, particularly cardiothoracic patients, who require complex intensive treatment after surgery."
The cost of the two beds will be around £600,000 per annum.
Today's announcement was made at the annual review for the National Waiting Times Centre Board. Annual reviews allow the Scottish Government and members of the public to scrutinise health boards' performance and hold them to account.
Scotland has 14 area-specific health boards and eight special health boards, of which the National Waiting Times Centre Board is one. The Golden Jubilee National Hospital and Beardmore Hotel and Conference Centre form the NHS National Waiting Times Centre.
The West of Scotland Heart and Lung Centre was formed following the migration of services from East Kilbride's Hairmyres Hospital, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Glasgow's Western Infirmary. The centre provides all adult cardiothoracic surgery for the west of Scotland and also houses three national services - the Scottish Heart Failure Service (including the transplant unit), Scottish Pulmonary Vascular Unit and the Scottish Adult Congenital Cardiac Service.