Scots NHS may go private

NHS24 may use space at the private HCI Hospital

Some health services in Scotland could soon be administered from a private hospital, it has emerged.

The Scottish Executive has confirmed that it is in talks with the HCI hospital in Clydebank, near Glasgow, to rent space.

A spokeswoman said that ministers were in talks with the country's largest private hospital and other "bidders" to house one branch of NHS 24, the new round-the-clock health hotline service planned for Scotland.

She denied that a deal had already been struck and said the talks did not represent a policy U-turn.

The HCI hospital is in Clydebank, near Glasgow

The executive plans to launch NHS 24 in Aberdeen during spring next year and then roll out the service across Scotland.

Space is needed to house the service for the west of Scotland and ministers see the HCI hospital as a possible location.

An executive spokeswoman said: "It has not yet been confirmed. All we can say is that we have been in discussion with a number of bidders, including HCI, to lease out office space to use for NHS 24.

"We hope to make a decision in the near future."

Wealthy foreigners

The spokeswoman denied that using the HCI hospital would represent a U-turn and said any decision on whether to use the facility or not remained with individual trusts or health boards.

When it was built, the HCI complex was originally intended as a showpiece facility for treating wealthy foreigners.

Since then it has become the focus of controversy over the role of the private sector in the health service north of the border.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm said during a Holyrood debate that it was an option for the NHS in Scotland to consider making use of private facilities like the HCI hospital.