Planning permission has been granted for a new digital and sustianable hospital in Airdrie, Scotland, following a meeting of North Lanarkshire Council.
The fully digital hospital is viewed as an opportunity to create a hospital fit for challenges now and in the future, using digital tech to “assist in clinical, operational and building excellence”. It aims to be underpinned by core characteristics of: accessibility & automation; mobilisation & connectivity; patient empowerment; and integration, interoperability & efficiency.
As well as developing plans for the building which promote public and clinical interaction, the hospital’s design is based on a future model of care which “seeks to optimise departmental adjacencies”, encourage teamwork, improve patient flow, reduce duplication of spaces, and create “a person-centred environment that promotes safety, recovery, and well-being”.
Colin Lauder, deputy chief executive and director of planning, property and performance at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “The new University Hospital Monklands is a hugely significant project with the ambition to be the first hospital in Scotland to be fully digital and net zero carbon.”
Professor Jann Gardner, chief executive at NHS Lanarkshire, praised the hard work that went into the planning application, and thanked the council for their support on “one of Scotland’s major capital projects”, which will bring “enormous opportunities for the whole of Lanarkshire and beyond”.
To learn more about plans and developments in NHS Lanarkshire’s Monklands Replacement Project, please click here.
In other news from Scotland, NHS National Services Scotland has contracted OneAdvanced Health and Care’s cloud-based software to service as an enhanced document workflow solution across all GP practices in Scotland.
Following the publication of Scotland’s digital strategy in 2021, a report has been released summarising progress made around commitments such as improving connectivity, building digital skills and changing the culture of public service organisations to ensure resilience, accessibility and ease of use.
