Asbestos found in Southern General Hospital, Glasgow

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is facing legal action after asbestos was found at a city hospital.

Asbestos has been found at the Glasgow hospital. Picture: Contributed

The Health and Safety Executive has submitted a report to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service relating to asbestos in the plant room of the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow.

A second report is being prepared by the HSE for the COPFS about asbestos at Dykebar Hospital in Paisley, Renfrewshire - despite NHSGGC being told by the HSE they would take no further action.

Two other NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde sites were also investigated but these will not be reported to the COPFS.

An HSE spokeswoman said: “HSE has submitted a report to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service for consideration relating to Southern General Hospital.

“The investigation at Dykebar has concluded and a report is being prepared for consideration by COPFS.

“The investigations at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and Clydebank health centre are concluded and HSE is not recommending any further action. We will continue to work with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on their asbestos management.”

A spokeswoman for NHSGGC said: “Whilst NHSGGC is facing legal action regarding asbestos in one room, a plant room at the Southern General Hospital site, the Health and Safety Executive have advised that no action will be taken against NHSGGC following their investigations into asbestos at the three other sites.

“We proactively reported to the HSE the presence of asbestos when it was identified at Clydebank Health Centre, Dykebar Hospital and the Skylark Centre at Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

“We received verbal feedback from the Health and Safety Executive that as far as the Dykebar site was concerned they were taking no further action against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde but we will seek to clarify this with the HSE next week.”

The HSE has also supported the appointment of an NHSGGC asbestos manager, the spokeswoman for the health board added.

“We are fully compliant with all the legislative requirements around asbestos surveillance, management and disposal and are no different to any other organisation responsible for buildings constructed before 1999 when the import, sale and second hand re-use of white asbestos was banned in the UK,” she said.