UNION leaders have accused a Labour politician of ‘reckless political posturing’ after he suggested Glasgow’s NHS Louisa Jordan hospital should be used to drive down surgical waiting lists rather than private providers.

Neil Findlay said it was “madness” that the hospital was empty after it emerged the Scottish Government has allocated around £13million of contracts to hospitals including Glasgow’s Nuffield Hospital to reduce post-Covid patient waits.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has said previously that the £43million emergency Covid-10 hospital could be used to help tackle a backlog of outpatient appointments but is still considering its future.

READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon accuses Scottish secretary of making 'absurd and ridiculous' statements over possible UK quarantine plan

Matt Mclaughlin, Unison Scotland’s Head of Health, branded the  use of private hospitals to reduce NHS waiting lists “criminal” but said more extensive use of the Louisa Jordan would rely on borrowing staff from already depleted health boards and suggested the unit is not, “clinically fit for purpose” for more general NHS treatment.

He said: “To give the money to the private sector who will use NHS doctors, working in 2nd jobs is criminal when we have wards mothballed due to cuts across Scotland

“However one MSPs calls to use the Louisa Jordan is reckless political posturing. 

“NHSLJ has no staff of it’s own. To provide any kind of services staff will need to be ‘borrowed” from existing NHS Boards, boards that are already short staffed and will have to gear up to cut into elective surgery waiting lists (and we are only a few months away from normal winter flu season) 

Glasgow Times:

“But worse. The suggestion that we use NHSLJ ignores that it’s not clinically fit for purpose. It has insufficient toilets, wash hand basins and much more. 

“It was designed for a very specific purpose. To demand its use for general care will kill patients.”

READ MORE: First Minister says NHS Louisa Jordan could be used to clear backlog of NHS cases 

Labour's health spokeswoman Monica Lennon called on the government to work with clinicians to devise a plan for the hospital to help ensure 'value for money.'

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The NHS Louisa Jordan is absolutely fit for purpose and we commend the hard work that brought it into use to scale up our capacity and resources to treat a potentially unknown number of COVID-19 patients during an unprecedented global pandemic.  

“To say otherwise or suggest it would actually harm patients is both irresponsible and incorrect.

“As part of the NHS re-mobilisation plans, we are considering whether we could use effectively and safely NHS Louisa Jordan for outpatient, diagnostic and elective treatment, while ensuring our NHS retains capacity to deal with any increase in Covid cases.”