The money given to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to carry out repairs across its entire estate is only half the “eye-watering” repair bill at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
Neil Bibby MSP has lambasted the Scottish Government for its failure to invest in the Paisley hospital after he earlier revealed the repair bill for the site stands at £76million.
The total, which includes repairs to the fabric of the building and upgrades to bring the hospital in line with new-build facilities, has jumped from £35m in 2018.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman told the MSP for West Scotland that it was up to the local health board to decide how its capital budget is spent.
However, NHSGGC was last year allocated just £37m for capital investment - half the total repair bill at the RAH.
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Mr Bibby demanded the Paisley hospital and the health board get the investment they deserve.
Addressing Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, he said: “The Scottish Government tells us that it is protecting the NHS budget, yet the repair backlog at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley now stands at an eye-watering £76million and has been growing for years.
“The entire budget for investment in the health board’s existing estate was only £37m this year, which is less than half of what is needed to clear the repair backlog at the RAH alone.
“Given that backlog gets bigger each year after successive Scottish Government budgets, when can people in Paisley expect to see the investment that is needed at the RAH?”
The Express revealed in June 2018 that more than 700 repair jobs needed completed at the RAH in a bill that then totalled £35m.
At that time, everywhere from A&E, to wards and its maternity unit were affected with issues such as the fire safety and nurse calling systems needing replaced.
The 2020 ledger of repairs has not been released to Mr Bibby, who obtained the cost of the work through a Freedom of Information request.
Answering Mr Bibby’s question Ms Forbes said she recognised the problems across the NHS estate, but failed to commit cash to the RAH.
She said: “We intend to double annual maintenance spend in the NHS over the next five years.
“That clear ask came from the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland and will result in an investment of £1billion for enhancing or refurbishing existing facilities and updating and modernising key equipment over that period.
“We recognise that it is important that we get the most out of our assets and make that funding go as far as possible.”
Repair costs at the RAH have spiralled, despite £21m being pumped into the hospital over the past five years.
Health bosses say the cash has been invested in refurbishing the intensive care unit, upgrading theatre lifts and improving lighting across wards and theatres.
A further £2.8m has been allocated for a new orthopaedic assessment unit, upgrades to the orthopaedic ward and an additional state-of-the-art operating theatre.
