Scottish Health Minister Accused of Cover-Up Over Doomed £2 Billion Hospital Project

Health Secretary Angela Constance is facing accusations of a cover-up regarding the collapse of a £2 billion hospital replacement project, as documents indicate she privately informed First Minister John Swinney about its imminent failure.

The documents obtained by the Scottish Mail on Sunday show that Constance outlined the doomed plans for the new Monklands Hospital, citing spiraling costs as the primary reason for its collapse. This private report, shared with Swinney on June 18, a week before the public announcement, contains details not disclosed to other Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) or the public.

Key details allegedly omitted include statements suggesting the facility is unlikely to open before 2031 and will be smaller with fewer services than originally planned. The report also contains a new timeline for the scaled-down hospital project, which officials have largely redacted in the documents released.

This development follows a scandal where SNP ministers were reportedly aware in March that the hospital should not proceed as planned, yet continued to promote it as a major achievement during an election campaign. Then-health secretary Neil Gray and Swinney were photographed at the hospital site promoting its progress, despite having received emails warning of the project's flaws.

Labour's health spokeswoman, Dame Jackie Baillie, criticized the handling of the situation, stating, "It is shocking that senior SNP figures, including John Swinney, appear to have intentionally kept the public in the dark about the Monklands hospital." She added that the redaction of timelines, despite their existence, "paints a very murky picture, one which looks like a cover-up."

In her briefing, Constance acknowledged that the "previous commitment to deliver a replacement within this parliamentary term is highly ambitious under the current model." She also noted that "even under a reseat approach, delivery within the term remains challenging" and warned of significant delays if decisions on services and scope were not finalized.

Campaigners have expressed concern that the project is being reduced to a "glorified A&E unit" rather than the state-of-the-art facility promised over a decade ago. Sophia Coyle, chairwoman of the 'Stand Up For Monklands campaign, called the proposal "completely unacceptable" and demanded clarity on the planned services and potential reductions.

The Scottish Government has stated that a new hospital will be delivered on the Wester Moffat site and that the redesign aims for a "credible and affordable proposal which brings value for money for the public purse and delivers high-quality care." The government expects the redesign to be presented for review in 2027, with construction intended to begin as early as 2028. Additional financial support will be provided to NHS Lanarkshire to maintain services at the existing site during the planning phase.