£19m mental health hospital opens

6 April 2008 12:00am

A £19m mental health hospital claiming to be the most revolutionary in the UK will be officially opened by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said the new Gartnavel Royal Hospital in Glasgow has transformed inpatient care since it opened its doors to patients in November.

It is helping to make Glasgow a centre of excellence for the delivery of mental health care, the health board said.

The hospital has 117 beds in individual rooms with en-suite shower and toilet facilities. It also has a family-friendly room for patients with children as well as a community cafe and patient gym.

It has been designed to be as light and airy as possible, with gardens and courtyard areas.

The health board said the bright modern environment of the building is designed to aid the recovery of patients and provide an attractive working environment for staff.

It aims to provide comfort, dignity and privacy for people who use the service and is designed to break down barriers and remove some of the stigma associated with mental health hospitals.

The hospital started taking patients in November.

Speaking at the time, Ann Hawkins, of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "We wanted to create something special which would radically improve the environment for our patients and staff.

"We also wanted to break down barriers and remove some of the stigma associated with mental health hospitals."

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