Work on the new Teaching and Learning Centre at the South Glasgow Hospitals Campus took a significant step forward today with the completion of the structural frame.

The news was welcomed by Alex Neil, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, who was at the new centre to perform the Topping Out ceremony.

The Teaching and Learning Centre, developed jointly by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and The University of Glasgow, is an investment of £27 million to provide a training environment for the clinical years of the undergraduate medical degree (MBChB), postgraduate training facilities for medical staff and a large variety of NHS professionals and will ensure that we can train the next generation of doctors, scientists, clinical academics and support staff.

Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing was introduced to NHS and University staff, as well as staff from the contractors BAM.

He said: “This is a significant milestone in the development of what is going to be a fantastic facility.

“The Teaching and Learning Centre will provide an ideal environment in which the medical staff of tomorrow can learn the high quality skills they will need to provide superb care.

“It is great news that working closely with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde we are making substantial progress, both in the Teaching and Learning Centre and across the Southern General site. This project – backed by massive Scottish Government investment – is set to deliver a truly world class new hospital facilities for the people of Glasgow.”

Three floors of this purpose built centre will be dedicated to teaching and learning and will ensure the highest levels of support and development available for staff and students.

The Centre will include an Innovation facility, supported by funding from the Scottish Funding Council and Glasgow City Council, which will accommodate the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre and incubator units for industry.

The £20m Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre will use modern whole genome DNA sequencing to select the best treatments for patients with chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory conditions.

Regius Professor Anna Dominiczak, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow, said: “It is very gratifying to see the Teaching and Learning Centre reach this development milestone.

“Everyone involved in this Centre is very excited by the opportunities it will bring not only to the teaching and learning of medicine in Glasgow, but to the future of patient treatments through cutting-edge research into stratified medicine.

“Integrating both teaching and research in the same facility means our students will benefit from the latest innovations in medical science in the heart of one of the biggest hospitals in Europe.”

Andrew Robertson, Chairman, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “I am delighted that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing could joint us today to perform the topping out of this magnificent new centre.

“NHSGGC and the University of Glasgow have had a close working relationship for many, many years and this new centre will further cement the bond between the NHS and the University.

“This is a major investment in providing world class teaching and learning facilities for future generations of doctors and clinical staff.”

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Notes to Editors
The new centre will replace facilities at the Western Infirmary, Victoria Infirmary, Southern General and the Royal Hospital for Sick Children which will all close following the transfer of clinical services to the new site.

The Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre (SMS-IC) is part of the vision for Scotland to be a world class centre of research, innovation and commercialisation in stratified medicine – bringing together excellence in the academic, industrial and NHS communities to create an infrastructure that will act as a springboard to allow Glasgow to be at the forefront of the field.

Media enquiries: stuart.forsyth@glasgow.ac.uk / 0141 330 4831

First published: 25 July 2014