More than 400 contractors from Balfour Beatty, Kier Group, Robertson Group and Graham Construction worked alongside nearly 150 NHS Scotland clinicians and operational staff to establish the hospital.

From today, NHS Louisa Jordan will be equipped and clinically ready to treat patients during the coronavirus outbreak, if required.

It is hoped the hospital will not be needed thanks to the public’s continued efforts to stay at home and the other measures that are being taken to increase the number of NHS Scotland beds.

Health secretary Jeane Freeman said: “I want to offer my sincere gratitude and thanks to the contractors and NHS Scotland staff who have come from across Scotland to work tirelessly to transform the SEC into the NHS Louisa Jordan. You are an inspiration to us all.

“The decision on patients being accepted at the NHS Louisa Jordan will be reviewed on a regular basis. I hope this facility will not be needed as, alongside the public’s continued efforts to stay at home, NHS Scotland has already taken steps to increase the number of NHS beds.

“The exceptional efforts of everyone involved in creating NHS Louisa Jordan during this unprecedented public health emergency will ensure this national facility will be able to treat patients from across Scotland, helping to save lives and protect our NHS.”

Chief executive of NHS Louisa Jordan, Jill Young, said: “Building the NHS Louisa Jordan has been an incredible effort. It has been a privilege to lead the project and I want to thank all those who have come from across the country to help us establish this national facility.

“The hospital stands ready to treat patients from across Scotland in a safe, effective and compassionate way, if required.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on March 30 that the NHS Louisa Jordan would be established to help ensure NHS Scotland has extra capacity to treat patients during the coronavirus pandemic.

The hospital was named after Glasgow born First World War nurse Sister Louisa Jordan who died on active service in Serbia in 1915 as part of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals for Foreign Services.

It will have capacity for an initial 300 patients and this can be expanded to more than 1,000 beds. 1036 bed bays have been built at the hospital.

The hospital will be operational on a phased basis based on demand. Beds and other equipment have been procured through NHS NSS national procurement in the same manner all NHS Scotland equipment is sourced. These are extra beds and equipment and are not coming from existing hospitals. Any equipment that is not used, or equipment that can be reused, will be distributed to existing or new NHS facilities.

Clinical and support staff will be deployed in a phased manner from NHS Scotland, including those returning from retirement. The level of staffing will depend on the number of beds required.

Constructing the hospital and the equipping of each bed is expected to cost approximately £43 million. Almost all of the expenditure has been incurred via contract placed by NHS National Services Scotland and using existing frameworks, providing value for money against pre tendered rates.

Robertson Group said it was so proud and humbled to see NHS employees applaud the teams behind NHS Louisa Jordan, the team put together a Zoom clap for the NHS and for all of the site teams who worked tirelessly to ensure NHS Louisa Jordan is ready for service if required.

The firm said: “Robertson and the other contractors were only doing their jobs and Robertson wanted to thank all NHS employees, frontline workers and keyworkers for the work they are doing.”

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