The new Victoria Infirmary came one step closer to construction with the signing of a £200 million contract to design and build the hospital.

The contract encompasses both the new Victoria Infirmary and the new Stobhill hospital in the North of Glasgow. The project represents the biggest single investment in new NHS facilities in Scotland and among the biggest in the UK.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Chief Executive Tom Divers said, ‘This is a tremendously exciting time as it represents the beginning of an ambitious hospital modernisation programme which will see the completion of a new West of Scotland Cancer Centre on the site of Gartnavel hospital and the submission of a business case for a new £100 million children’s hospital on the site of the Southern General Campus at the end of this year.’

Building work on the new Public Private Partnership-funded Victoria Infirmary will start this year and it is expected tol begin treating patients in 2009. The new hospital will treat around 40,000 patients a year.

Among the companies signing the contract were builders Balfour Beatty, technical advisors Currie and Brown and the appointed Private Finance Initiative concession company, the Canmore Partnership Ltd.

Andrew Gordon, Chief Executive of the Canmore Partnership, led the negotiations for the winning bid. He said, ‘We are delighted our partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will be providing the excellent hospitals which patients and staff deserve.’

Ian Tyler, Chief Executive of Balfour Beatty, said, ‘We are delighted to have reached this landmark stage in partnership with both Canmore and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and now look forward to delivering two brand new hospitals that will significantly enhance acute hospital care throughout Glasgow.’

Currie and Brown’s Divisional Director Alastair Stewart said, ‘This is one of the largest and most complex healthcare projects in Scotland, involving the design and cost management for not one but two hospitals at the same time. When complete, it will provide state-of the-art health facilities for the people pf Glasgow.’