Princess Anne gives royal seal of approval to NHS Louisa Jordan

Princess Anne has said the creation of the NHS Louisa Jordan was an “astonishing achievement” and that NHS staff tackling coronavirus were showing the same devotion as the Glasgow nurse did in the First World War.

Staff at the NHS Louisa Jordan watch the video message from Princess Anne.

In a video message the Princess Royal gave a royal seal of approval to the hospital, thanking the contractors and NHS staff for establishing it in just three weeks, and expressed her gratitude that the hospital exists.

Built inside Glasgow’s SEC in just three weeks between March 31 and April 19, the £43m NHS Louisa Jordan was named after the nurse from Maryhill who joined the Scottish Women’s Hospitals to help tend the sick and injured on the frontlines in WWI.

Princess Anne offered her “congratulations to everyone who has made it possible to open the NHS Louisa Jordan hospital in Glasgow”, and described it as “an astonishing achievement by contractors and all the NHS staff who were involved in the project.”

She added: “This is a successful team effort and it will need to continue in order to make the best use of the facilities.

“I am particularly pleased by the name you have chosen. A few years ago I helped celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals and their founder Dr Elsie Inglis. Glasgow-born Louisa Jordan, and many others, responded to her challenge by working as nurses in one of the 14 hospitals set up across Europe in the First World War.

“The biggest risk to their patients and themselves was often disease, especially typhus. Louisa Jordan herself died of typhus in Serbia in 1915. That devotion to patients is being shown by nurses, medical and support staff across Scotland today so it is entirely fitting that we name this important new hospital after Louisa Jordan.”

The Queen’s daughter went on to day that the hospital should give people “confidence that there are enough facilities availble for whatever happens now or in the future.

“Covid -9 has done something very rare, it has affected every single person’s life in some way, sadly for some in a very personal and final way. But while many peopel feel frustrated and hlepless, the Louisa Jordan hospital is a way of being postitive and helpful. And although we would all hope it doesn’t need to be used we can all be very grateful that it exists.”

Chief Executive of NHS Louisa Jordan, Jill Young, said: “I want to thank The Princess Royal for her thoughtful words for everyone involved in transforming the Scottish Events Campus into the NHS Louisa Jordan.

“From the architects, builders, engineers and plumbers, to the clinicians, nurses, porters and cleaners, every single person involved in creating this facility should be immensely proud of the role they have played.

“It is a privilege to have been involved in creating a national facility that stands ready to treat patients in a safe, effective and compassionate way, if required.”

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