A MULTI-MILLION pound investment into Clydebank’s Golden Jubilee Hospital will help them treat more patients than ever before.

The centre revealed the first look at the proposed new £12.5 million ophthalmology unit as plans are underway for an even larger second centre for their orthopaedics and general surgery work worth £75-80m.

The units would be on either side of the current hospital entrance.

It was announced in 2015 that the Scottish Government would make the significant investment to meet elective procedure demands in the west of Scotland.

A planning application was submitted in June for the ophthalmology unit and construction could start in January and last until March 2020, according to a presentation to the community planning committee last week.

The plan is to ensure they can meet demand for a growing population for the next 20 years, reduce elective cancellations and deliver on the current waiting time targets. It would be up and running by 2021 at the latest.

In a statement after the meeting, June Rogers, director of operations for the Golden Jubilee, told the Post: “Our expansion project will see significant benefits for the local community. As well as longer term job opportunities, there will be dedicated building apprenticeships, as well as opportunities for local suppliers to be part of our procurement processes.

“We were clear that community benefits would form an important part of our expansion programme and an extremely positive outcome is that we are already successfully collaborating with colleagues at West College Scotland and West Dunbartonshire Council on learning initiatives, transport, connectivity, environmental, and health and wellbeing issues.”

The Golden Jubilee already handles 18 per cent of all Scottish cataract procedures.

Council planners said the land had to be tested for toxins because of its history of shipyards on site as well as the former Asbestos Cement Factory.

A report from consultants, however, said the amount of asbestos “pose a low risk”. It also said there was a “moderate-high” risk of encountering unexploded ordnance left from the Clydebank Blitz in 1941.

Elevated concentrations of methane gas in the ground will require remediation work, despite their “low risk” rating.

Scottish Natural Heritage has objected to the plans without protection for the redshank on site over the summer months.