By Lesley Aitken, MRP Community Benefits Engagement Lead (Pictured above)

Seasons Greetings

I hope this Community Benefits update finds you well and looking forward to the festive period. I hope it brings the opportunity for some rest and days which are merry and bright.

Project update

It has been a very busy year for the entire MRP team as we worked to complete the Full Business Case for the project. This was approved by the NHS Lanarkshire Board on 4 December. Board members agreed that the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) business case should now be submitted to the Scottish Government for consideration and final approval.

Since my last newsletter, significant work has taken place on the site at Wester Moffat. This work has been essential to prepare for construction. This work will close down over the festive period with a planned supervision programme in place to keep the site safe and secure until works can restart in the new year.

You can find out more information on the project progress on this website.

From left: Martin Hill. Chair of the Board of NHS Lanarkshire; Laing O’Rourke Project Manager Gerry Vallianatos; Donald Reid, NHS Lanarkshire Board Non-Executive Member; Laing O’Rourke Project Director Steve Holland; Colin Lauder, NHS Lanarkshire Executive Director for Monklands Replacement; Graeme Reid, Project Director, Monklands Replacement Project; Louise Long, Chief Executive of NHS Lanarkshire; Laing O’Rourke Project Leader Ben Townsley; Laing O’Rourke Pre-Construction Director Rory Pollock.

Community Benefits delivery

We work collaboratively with our construction partner Laing O’Rourke to deliver the MRP Community Benefits Programme. Working together extends the reach and impact of the programme. Our partnership approach will continue through the stages of the
project.

The contractual Community Benefits Programme continues to be delivered by Laing O’Rourke during the Pre-Construction Services Agreement and the site enabling works
contracts.

Key focus areas of the contractual element are the creation of employment opportunities, the support of the supply chain and the development of the future workforce.

The first tranche of recruitment to the Laing O’Rourke project team started with nine new graduates and eight professional (graduate) apprentices joining in September
2025. Laing O’Rourke has now launched the recruitment process for the 2026 intake. More information can be found on these roles at Laing O’Rourke’s career page

The supply chain continued to be supported with the delivery of workshops on sustainable construction practices and whole-life carbon.

The future workforce has been inspired by Laing O’Rourke attending numerous careers events in our schools, showcasing the range of roles in construction and the pathways into the industry. Students at colleges and universities have benefited from mentoring sessions and work experience opportunities, which give real-life industry experience.

As we move towards the construction phase of the project, the opportunities for increased delivery of Community Benefits will be realised.