WORK on a £27million teaching hub at Glasgow's super hospital reached a milestone after the last brick was laid.

Alex Neil, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, was at the new Teaching and Learning Centre at the site of the Southern General yesterday to perform the topping out ceremony.

The centre, developed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and The University of Glasgow, is to provide training for the clinical years of under-graduate medical degree students.

It will also help provide postgraduate training for medical staff and NHS professionals and will ensure that bosses can train the next generation of doctors, scientists, clinical academics and support staff.

Mr Neil said: "The Teaching and Learning Centre will provide an ideal environment in which the medical staff of tomorrow can learn the high quality skills they will need to provide superb care.

"It is great news that working closely with NHSGGC we are making substantial progress, both in the Teaching and Learning Centre and across the Southern General site. This project - backed by massive Scottish Government investment - is set to deliver new world class hospital facilities."

Three floors of the centre will be dedicated to teaching and learning and will ensure the highest levels of support and development available for staff and students.

It will include an innovation facility, supported by the Scottish Funding Council and Glasgow City Council, which will accommodate the Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre and incubator units for industry.

The £20m Stratified Medicine Scotland Innovation Centre will help select the best treatments for patients with chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular and inflammatory conditions.

NHSGGC chairman Andrew Robertson said: "This is a major investment in providing world class teaching and learning facilities for doctors and clinical staff."

rachel.loxton@ eveningtimes.co.uk