Snapshot Report May 2026
Community benefits
Lesley Aitken
MRP Community Benefits Engagement Lead
What we’ve done
Community Benefits are developed and implemented through the Monklands Replacement Project (MRP) team and construction partner Laing O’Rourke, with five key themes – economic, employment, training, environmental, and community priorities.
The MRP Minecraft Build Challenge got underway – a fun educational project in North Lanarkshire Council primary schools, with pupils challenged to use the Minecraft game to build virtual hospital departments against set criteria.
Applications were opened for this year’s Summer School programme – for S4 to S6 pupils across Lanarkshire – with a construction-themed school the week of 20 July and a healthcare-themed school the following week. Applications remain open until 5 June.
Laing O’Rourke began recruitment for the first MRP trade apprenticeships and other entry level roles. Their recruitment for this year’s graduate and professional apprenticeships intake is underway.
Partnership working with education services and Laing O’Rourke facilitated visits to the MRP site by students from New College Lanarkshire, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Strathclyde.
What we’ve planned
Planning, with communications colleagues, for the development of a digital careers resource.
Digital
Maureen McGinn
MRP Digital Lead
What we’ve done
The digital hospital delivery group continues to meet on a monthly basis.
An information and communication technology (ICT) high-level design has been developed and discussed with advisors. Our digital pathways group completed a first review of its terms of reference and planning activities for the next project stage.
What we’ve planned
Conclude the ICT high-level design through discussions with construction partner Laing O’Rourke, and finish the review of the latest stage of the equipping list.
Service redesign
Donna McHenry
Service Redesign Lead
What we’ve done
This part of the project looks at how services can be redesigned to maximise how well they work in the new hospital.
We started discussion with stakeholders on development of departmental standard operating procedure templates. We’ve also done a review of the service design programme and a draft outline proposal is being developed.
The emergency department (A&E) team were the first to take part in a series of stakeholder sessions in the Immersive Suite, our digital learning and engagement centre.
What we’ve planned
There will be Immersive Suite open days to update staff on plans for transition – the big move to the new hospital. We’ll finalise the service design programme structure for review and continue work on a room-booking timetable.
Other News
We’re delighted to welcome Chelsea Wright as our new clinical lead for nursing. Chelsea will join us from NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde in June.