FAQ's

General

What is NHS Louisa Jordan?

The NHS Louisa Jordan is a key part of NHSScotland’s preparations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a temporary hospital, built on site at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC), with an initial capacity to provide 300 beds, but with the capability to expand and accommodate more than 1,000 if required.

Who is Louisa Jordan?

Sister Louisa Jordan was born just a couple of miles north of the SEC in Glasgow’s Maryhill. She served with great bravery and distinction in the Scottish Women’s Hospital in Serbia during World War 1. She is a person who, perhaps until now, had been bettered remembered in Serbia than in Scotland and this hospital is a fitting tribute to her service and courage.

 

About the hospital

What type of patients will NHS Louisa Jordan receive?

UPDATE 27 JULY 2020

A successful pilot at the NHS Louisa Jordan has seen 315 patients receive orthopaedic and plastic surgery outpatient consultations since the start of July. Read the full story on our website.

UPDATE 07 JANUARY 2021

NHS Louisa Jordan has been working with four NHS Boards to ensure that over 18,000 patients, across 14 specialties, have been seen. Read the full story on our website.

How Many Beds does the Hospital have?

The Hospital is equipped to provide care for 300 patients initially with the capacity to be increase to 1,000 patients. Any decision on increasing this capacity would be made on a phased basis.

If needed, there is a high dependency area with 90 beds.

Is the NHS Louisa Jordan fit for purpose?

The NHS Louisa Jordan has been built to offer the same high standard, safe, effective and compassionate care as any NHSScotland hospital

Is there enough equipment?

The facility has all necessary equipment on site, with the majority of this being secured through standard NHS procurement channels, with some support from universities and colleges. This includes beds, critical care equipment, mobile x-rays, CT scanners and adequate supplies of PPE and hand sanitizer.

What infection prevention and control procedures are in place?

As part of the set up of the NHS Louisa Jordan, a thorough assessment of the Infection Prevention and Control needs, policies and procedures was undertaken to ensure a safe environment for both staff and patients.

An Infection Control and Prevention (IPC) service was established, with peer support provided as required, by the National Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection Team. Additional measures have been put in place within the SEC itself to make it fit for purpose as an NHS hospital.

What about medicine and diagnostics?

The NHS Louisa Jordan has a fully stocked and functioning pharmacy, supported by a range of staff from health boards across Scotland.

Patients would have access to all necessary diagnostic services, including mobile x-ray and CT scanner if required.

 

About the building work

Who built NHS Louisa Jordan?

The main contractors involved in the construction of NHS Louisa Jordan were the four companies who are on the NHS Scotland framework, namely Balfour Beatty, Graham, the Kier Group and the Robertson Group.

The British Army supported the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland by undertaking a feasibility study on how the SEC could be transformed into a hospital. They were not involved in the construction of the NHS Louisa Jordan.

How long did it take to build?

NHS Louisa Jordan took 20 days to turn an exhibition space into an NHS hospital.

 

About the workforce

How is the hospital staffed?

During the building and commissioning phase of the NHSLJ there were approximately 700 contractor staff deployed.

The NHS Louisa Jordan was set up to be a step down COVID-19 facility for NHS Scotland Boards and as such was not categorised as a standalone NHS Board and therefore did not have the legal capability to employ staff directly. Any workforce identified for the purposes of supporting the clinical activity within NHSLJ was provided by existing NHS Boards supplying the staff required.   During the lifetime of NHS Louisa Jordan this was never required.  Those staff who were in place to support the NHSLJ from a management perspective were likewise individuals who were provided via existing employment arrangements either via an NHS Board or Scottish Government.  

For the Covid-19 stand up part of the work there were 36 staff working at NHS Louisa Jordan, although in the very early days when the facility was being developed there were many more people who were volunteers from other Boards, volunteers from people who had retired from NHS Scotland with specific knowledge and expertise required for the development of the facility.

For the elective and mass vaccination facility there were 22 staff working at NHS Louisa Jordan.   All of these staff were employed by other NHS Scotland Boards.

 

About costs

How much did it cost to build?

The total set up costs for the NHS Louisa Jordan (NHSLJ) was £28 million.

The total running costs for the NHSLJ over its lifespan was approximately £31 million.

The decommissioning budget for NHSLJ was £7.1 million.  

How much are the SEC charging?

The SEC do not charge the NHS Louisa Jordan rental fees for the venue but will charge for any costs, such as heating and lighting, directly attributable to the venue's use as a medical facility.

 

About decommissioning

What if we don’t use the hospital?

NHS Louisa Jordan stands ready to receive patients if required. Consideration is now being given as to how the hospital can best support the NHS in Scotland in the future. 

What will happen to the equipment once it is no longer needed?

The majority of items which have been procured for the NHS Louisa Jordan will be redistributed to existing or new NHSScotland sites. So far NHS Louisa Jordan resources have been used to:

• further equip a range of services in the Western Isles, Forth Valley, Fife, Lanarkshire, Glasgow and Tayside;
• set up the NHS Louisa Jordan vaccination facilities at the SSE Hydro;
• help NHS Lothian vaccination facilities;
• support teaching colleges;
• further equip the new NHSScotland Covid Testing Laboratories;
• plan for future contingencies; and
• support NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde to continue providing the Heart Failure service they started within NHS Louisa Jordan to help waiting times for patients.

A complete package of equipment is also earmarked for NHS Highland for the new facilities at Skye, Aviemore, and the new National Treatment Centre in Inverness.