The new critical care unit (CCU) at Monklands Hospital opened to patients today.
Dr Jim Ruddy, consultant in intensive care medicine and anaesthesia, said: “For many months we’ve seen signs of the new unit and today we should all be proud as we have come to pen this new state-of-the-art unit.
“This is the first phase of an ambitious 12 phase project. I hope you will agree with me on how impressive it is. Our new 10 bedded, combined level two and three facility, will enable the care of our critically ill patients to be taken to a new level, reinforcing our mantra of patient safety, patient centred care – the keystones of excellence of care.
“I would like to thanks the project team, especially Nicola Ruddy, Isabel Paterson, the medical physics team, Billy Lindsay and the property and support services team, James Mulroy and the rest of the Graham Construction team.
“There are too many names and services  to mention who have pulled together to realise the vision from three years ago. We all wondered how we would get such an innovative unit on such a tight site but we are here today and we are very proud of our achievement.
“I would especially like to thank the clinicians for their ongoing patience as we go forward with the next phases of work.”
The new critical care unit is linked to the hospital’s current operating theatres. It is part of a 19m refurbishment and upgrade programme that will see the seven existing operating theatres at the hospital undergo extensive refurbishment.
The hospital will remain fully operational during this work which will be completed by the summer of 2018.