The MRP seeks to deliver Scotland’s first fully digital and net zero carbon hospital.

With an estimated construction cost of £700 million, the replacement for University Hospital Monklands is a hugely significant capital project. The clinical requirements include wards with 100% single occupancy rooms and a range of specialist departments that are essential for a major acute hospital, including operating theatres, and emergency, endoscopy, infectious diseases, critical care, renal, radiotherapy, imaging and outpatient departments.

Laing O’Rourke has signed a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA), joining the team to help progress the project from concept stage through delivery to opening.

The contractor will now support the health board in progressing from outline plans to a full business case. The constructor’s specialist healthcare delivery team will join the wider MRP team and work closely with patient groups and clinical teams to finalise the design, construction methodology, cost and programme.

Colin Lauder, NHS Lanarkshire director of planning, property and performance, said: “We are excited to take another significant step forward for the project by appointing Laing O’Rourke. It moves us closer to delivering what will be the most advanced hospital in Scotland.

“We have chosen a construction partner with a wealth of experience in the healthcare sector.”

The outline business case for the new hospital was approved by the Scottish Government on 3rd July 2023 and a full planning application for Monklands Replacement Programme has been submitted to North Lanarkshire Council.

Graeme Reid, MRP project director, from NHS Lanarkshire, added: “The new facility will be located on a site at Wester Moffat, east of Airdrie, and will provide our clinical staff a new truly modern working environment to help them deliver the best possible care to patients. It will also create economic benefits for the local community and for companies across Lanarkshire and Scotland.

“We are looking forward to working with Laing O’Rourke.”

Laing O’Rourke has built 18 major hospitals since 2010, and most recently has delivered the Louisa Martindale Building in Brighton, the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital, the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, also in Liverpool, and the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran, Wales. It also constructed Dumfries & Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Rory Pollock, healthcare sector leader from Laing O’Rourke, added: “We are delighted and proud that NHS Lanarkshire has appointed us to the Monklands Replacement Project team. We are excited to help bring NHS Lanarkshire’s vision to life, and to delivering a modern, sustainable hospital that will serve the local community for many decades to come.

“Early engagement like this, including input to the final design, will enable us to fully harness the value our manufacturing-led operating model brings, providing greater programme, quality and cost certainty to the benefit of NHS Lanarkshire. We will also draw on our experience from other projects to deliver lasting social value. Our project team will work with local schools, colleges and businesses to create education, training and employment opportunities.”

The full business case will now be developed and finalised during 2024. The new hospital is planned to open in 2031.