CALLS FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION AS £70 MILLION RAH REPAIR BACKLOG REVEALED

West Scotland MSP Neil Bibby has branded as “deeply worrying” the revelation that almost £1 million of repairs deemed “high risk” are required at Paisley’s struggling Royal Alexandra Hospital – part of an “eye-watering” total of outstanding repairs amounting to nearly £70 million.

Figures for October 2020 showed repairs required totalling more than £76 million. Although this total has come down slightly to just under £70 million, there are now £859,909 of “high-risk” repairs waiting to be carried out. There were no such high-risk repairs required in October 2020.

The Paisley-based MSP has called on NHS chiefs to take urgent action.

Neil Bibby MSP said:

“NHS staff have gone above and beyond during the pandemic. They deserve a safe, modern working environment where they can provide the essential care local people need. 

“After consistently raising the need for investment at the RAH, I am of course glad that the repair backlog is starting to come down. However, the fact the repair backlog still stands at an eye-watering £70 million is not acceptable.

It’s also deeply worrying that the backlog of high risk repairs has jumped by almost a £1 million. If repairs go unaddressed the risk to building users will inevitably rise. Action is needed now to prevent the bill for high risk repairs rising. The Health Board must outline what these repairs are and what they are doing to keep patients and staff safe.

“The Scottish Government have allowed the RAH to become a forgotten hospital. Years of under investment must come to an end. 

Paisley and Renfrewshire should get its fair share of NHS investment to modernise the RAH and tackle the urgent need for repairs. The First Minister at the election in May promised significant investment in our hospital – it’s about time her government paid up.”