The Queen Mother’s Hospital in Glasgow is closing its doors to new deliveries for the final time.
Affectionately known as the ‘Queen Mum’s’ - the hospital has brought some 160,000 babies into the world during the last 46 years.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, the health board behind the hospital, said the closure “heralds a new era in the development of 21st century maternity services in Glasgow”.
In the future, Glaswegians will give birth at the Southern General Hospital, following the creation of a new maternity, children’s and adult acute services. It is due to be complete in spring 2015 after a £840million development.
Robert Calderwood, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's chief executive, said of the Queen Mother's: "In its 46-year history the Queen Mother's Hospital has played an important part in helping to shape and develop maternity services in the city of Glasgow."
The first baby was delivered at the hospital on January 12, 1964. HRH The Queen Mother officially opened her namesake in September that year.
The hospital has also played its part in Scottish medical history. Amongst the reception committee at its opening was Ian Donald, professor of obstetrics, who pioneered imaging based on sonar.
His work was developed into ultrasound scans, and his contribution to the medical world was later recognised by the opening of the Ian Donald Fetal Medicine Unit in 2003.
A spokesperson from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde added: "Research, and undergraduate and post-graduate teaching was one of the Queen Mother's key functions, and over the years the hospital has been responsible for many innovations.
"These included establishing a Neonatal Transition Paediatric Transitional care unit in 1993, the very first breast-feeding workshop for Asian mothers in 2000 and the introduction of the first four-dimensional 'real time' ultrasound scanner in Scotland in 2002."
Eleanor Stenhouse, the health board’s Head of Midwifery, said: "The legacy of innovation and pioneering which became a hallmark of the Queen Mother's will continue as an integral part of our exciting new service redevelopment, which also includes significant investment in the maternity unit at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, and the Community Midwifery Units at Inverclyde Royal Hospital and the Vale of Leven Hospital.
"Regardless of where our mums choose to deliver we can offer them the highest standards of accommodation and clinical care."
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