Cladding to be removed from Glasgow's biggest hospital
Panels similar to those used on the Grenfell Tower were found on the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital
Cladding similar to that found on Grenfell Tower is to be removed from Scotland's largest hospital as a precautionary measure.
A type of Aluminium Composite Material was found on parts of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow during checks following the disaster at the high rise block in London in June which claimed around 80 lives.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said it has been assured the hospital is an extremely safe building by Health Facilities Scotland and their National Fire Advisor.
However the health board plans to remove the cladding "at the earliest possible opportunity'' as a "purely precautionary measure.''
It said: "The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital is one of the most fire safe buildings in the country having been designed and engineered to meet building and fire safety regulations.
"Last month we brought in external technical advisers to give the Board further assurance on fire safety following concerns arising about external cladding as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.
"As part of these further forensic checks we have identified a type of Aluminium Composite Material on parts of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital of a similar type to, but not the same as, Grenfell.''
NHSGGC said the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has also reassured it that fire safety audits carried out at the hospital were satisfactory.
It added: "However, as a purely precautionary measure, and to make sure the public, our patients and our staff have full confidence in the safety of the hospital we have taken the decision to remove the panels from the areas of the hospital where these panels are.
The panels that will be removed are present in three external sections of the building and we are currently working with contractors and technical advisers to assess how this work can proceed at the earliest possible opportunity.''
It said hospital management teams are working on plans to minimise the impact on patient care.
Police believe around 80 people died when Grenfell Tower was engulfed by flames.
In Scotland the Ministerial Working Group on building and fire safety held its fourth meeting on Thursday.
It is overseeing a review of building and fire safety regulatory frameworks with an initial focus on high rise domestic buildings, following the London tragedy.
The group agreed further research will be carried out to evaluate specific risks in high rise domestic buildings, consider the most vulnerable groups and recognise advances in technology.
The first aspect of this work will be to commission a detailed inventory of design features of all high domestic buildings in Scotland.