A freedom of information (FOI) request has laid bare the full extent of the hospital’s £121 million repair backlog – listing every single one of the 1,150 repairs required at the almost half-century old building.
The Scottish Government, which has yet to commit to a £71 million sum needed to replace the cladding and windows at the facility, has been accused of putting the hospital, and its staff and patients, at risk.
Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West MP Martin McCluskey has hit out at the neglect and demanded urgent action to protect the IRH.
He said: “This lays bare the neglect of Inverclyde Royal Hospital under the SNP Government.
“For nearly 19 years they have allowed the repair bill to mount up instead of taking the action needed to protect our hospital.
“Staff shouldn’t have to work in these conditions and patients shouldn’t have to be cared for in wards with leaky windows and faulty equipment. It’s a disgrace. ”
By far the largest spend outlined on the maintenance list is the £71m sum which needs to be spent on restoring the building’s external fabric.
The IRH repair backlog has a value of £121 million. (Image: George Munro)
The infirmary’s aluminium single glazed windows are said to have passed their expiration date, with some now leaking.
The information handed over by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) also shows that window sills ‘throughout the hospital’ are damaged internally, with the window’s seals expired, while the brickwork is described as being porous.
The proposed solution is to install new cladding on all of the building’s elevations.
Mr McCluskey added: “This is a serious risk to the IRH. We were promised full replacement of the facade by 2026, but the Scottish Government still haven’t funded this work. ”
He accused the Scottish Government of ‘choosing Glasgow over Greenock’ and called on First Minister John Swinney to apologise to the people of Inverclyde.
The cost of carrying out all the repairs required at the IRH now stands at an eye-watering £121 million. (Image: George Munro)
Martin McCluskey added: “This can’t go on. The Scottish Government has record funding from the UK Government this year, with more on the way.
“Where is it going? And why isn’t it finding its way to our hospital?
“Inverclyde can’t afford another five years of SNP government – all it will mean for our local hospital is even more decline.”
The Tele has previously reported that watchdog Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) had set a deadline of 2026 to replace the windows and facade at the hospital.
Two years ago, HIS and Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board reached an agreement that the work would be carried out by next year.
But the Scottish Government has yet to confirm the funding required for the work to take place.
Inverclyde Royal Hospital Martin McCluskey (Image: George Munro)
The watchdog had heavily criticised the state of parts of the hospital in a report published in February 2023.
They were critical of the building and the need for repairs, and in their report published four months after an unannounced visit to the facility they demanded action from the health board.
A business case has been put to the Scottish Government by NHS GGC for the major work, which the freedom of information request reveals would now cost £71m.
Under-pressure health chiefs who are waiting for a decision on the application say that they have committed £4.3m of investment to the hospital’s decontamination unit.
They also pointed to a rolling programme of work being carried out at the hospital.
In October this year we revealed that it would cost £117m to bring the IRH up to the standard of a new facility.
Just two months on, that bill now stands at £121m.
An NHSGGC spokesperson said: “We are committed to caring for our patients in an environment that is appropriate for their needs.
“We have made a long-term commitment to improvement works at Inverclyde Royal Hospital (IRH), including internal works which commenced in September and investing £4.3m in the decontamination unit.
“We also have a rolling programme of maintenance and replacement at IRH and across the NHSGGC estate.
“As part of this programme, we have submitted a business case for replacement of the exterior envelope at the IRH to the Scottish Government and we await the outcome of this application.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the health board to support the best quality healthcare facilities for patients and staff.
“This year we are providing more than £1 billion for capital investment, with £140 million additional funding targeted at high-risk areas of maintenance and repair of the existing estate, essential equipment, and digital replacement.
“We have agreed to fund the design work for replacing the hospital’s façade and will make a decision on funding the facade replacement when the design is complete and full costs are known.
“Decisions on the Scottish Budget will be laid out on 13 January 2026.”