NHS Golden Jubilee Newsletter - Summer 2025
Major academic milestone for Golden Jubilee
NHS Golden Jubilee is proud to announce that it has been formally granted University Status by the University of Glasgow, marking a significant milestone in a long-standing and increasingly integrated partnership.
This development signals a transformative step in their collaboration with one of the UK’s leading academic institutions.
NHS Golden Jubilee now holds university status from 2 prestigious organisations, an unprecedented endorsement of their contribution to research, education, and healthcare innovation.
Mark MacGregor, Medical Director, NHS Golden Jubilee said: "Over many years, NHS Golden Jubilee and the University of Glasgow have forged a strong and enduring partnership, built on shared values of innovation, excellence, and collaboration.
“This relationship has gone from strength to strength—culminating in the achievement of university hospital status. This is a testament to NHS Golden Jubilee’s growing role as a major player in healthcare education, research, and clinical excellence, both nationally and internationally."
Record number of Scots cataract patients being treated at NHS Golden Jubilee
The NHS Golden Jubilee Eye Centre is carrying out a record number of treatments for patients across Scotland 4 years after it opened its doors.
The Ophthalmic centre, dedicated to delivering cataract surgery, was the first NHS Scotland National Treatment Centre (NTC) to open in November 2020.
The centre has now carried out almost 55,000 treatments and last year (2024/2025), 11,719 Scottish patients received cataract surgery – a record high and rise of almost 3,000 from 2022/2023.
An integral part of the centre is a pioneering Twin Theatre design that allows for cataract procedures to be carried out in a more efficient way. This involves increased visibility and communications between 2 theatres to allow a patient to be prepared in one area while the consultant completes an operation in the other.
NHS Golden Jubilee Deputy Director of National Elective Services, Caroline Handley, said: “Ophthalmology is one of the busiest services in the NHS, responding to a mixture of ophthalmic conditions that may be sight-threatening or sight-limiting.
“With an ageing population, alongside the introduction of new techniques, there is more demand for cataract surgery than ever before.
Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD): National Clinical Pathway Webinars
The National Clinical Pathway Updates webinar series provides clinical updates and guidance and new or revised referral pathways, collaboratively developed by NHS Scotland clinical communities and the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD).
These online educational events provide an opportunity for shared learning, informal discussion and time to ask questions.
The next webinar topic is 'Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRG) for Suspected Cancer – Full Clinical Review', and takes place on Tuesday 23 September 2025, from 12pm - 1pm.
New oxygen therapy trial could be a 'game changer for heart attack patients in world first
A pioneering study into a new treatment that could transform the way heart attacks are treated in Scotland and beyond is under way in a world first.
Consultants at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital have recruited the first patients to a clinical trial testing supersaturated oxygen (SSO₂) therapy — a novel approach aimed at reducing heart damage following a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), one of the most severe types of heart attack.
Heart and circulatory diseases remain one of Scotland’s biggest health challenges, causing around 18,000 deaths annually — nearly 50 every day. STEMIs are a major cause of heart failure and premature death and current standard treatment involves inserting a stent to reopen the blocked artery.
This trial adds a one-hour SSO₂ infusion immediately after the stent is placed, delivering highly oxygenated blood to the heart to minimise tissue damage.
NHS Golden Jubilee Director of Research, Professor Colin Berry, and Dr Francis Joshi, Consultant Cardiologist, are leading the study funded by the British Heart Foundation and sponsored by NHS Golden Jubilee, in partnership with the University of Glasgow.
Professor Berry said: “Early studies suggest that SSO₂ therapy can enhance heart muscle recovery after a heart attack, potentially reducing the risk of heart failure."
NHS Scotland Academy: Thousands of Scottish patients benefit from groundbreaking Ultrasound Training Programme
A national training programme in ultrasound scanning is transforming diagnostic care across NHS Scotland by cutting waiting times, accelerating staff development, and enhancing patient outcomes.
The National Ultrasound Training Programme (NUTP), delivered by the NHS Scotland Academy, a collaboration between NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Golden Jubilee, has already supported more than 17,400 patient scans since the launch in 2022.
These scans are vital for diagnosing a wide range of health conditions, from heart and kidney issues to early signs of cancer.
The NUTP is an accelerated and more practical way to train learners, helping to cut waiting lists, reduce delays in treatment, and ease pressure on NHS Scotland Boards.
Traditionally becoming an ultrasound specialist, known as a sonographer, can take years. This new programme transforms training by immersing staff in hands-on learning in a real hospital environment, allowing them to develop their skills while actively contributing to patient care.
AI potential to revolutionise patient involvement in research
A pioneering new approach developed by an NHS Golden Jubilee volunteer could transform how healthcare researchers engage with patients and the public.
This novel application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) large language models offers a virtual and innovative approach to longstanding challenges in Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE), combining cutting-edge technology with ethical best practices to enhance diversity, representation, and efficiency.
Traditional PPIE panels — vital for ensuring research reflects the needs of real people — often struggle with recruitment difficulties, geographic barriers, and the time-intensive nature of coordination. These limitations can delay research and compromise the inclusiveness of public input.
The AI system is designed to enhance, not replace, real patient and public voices, by supporting existing PPIE efforts with rapid, diverse input. In parallel, the project partners remain committed to strengthening and diversifying traditional PPIE panels to ensure lived experiences continue to inform research in meaningful and authentic ways.
The creator of the new approach, Andrew Steele, who is also a heart transplant recipient, said: “The new prototype system directly addresses these barriers by generating realistic, AI-simulated PPIE panels."
Golden Jubilee is first hospital in Scotland to receive European accreditation for heart imaging
The Golden Jubilee University National Hospital has become the first NHS hospital in Scotland to receive accreditation by the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACI).
The EACI accreditation for Cardiac MRI and Congenital MRI laboratories is recognised internationally as a measure of excellence used to underpin the standards for competency in the field of cardiovascular magnetic resonance across Europe and beyond.
Cardiac MRI and Congenital MRI are vital diagnostic procedures, needed by patients across NHS Scotland every year to help identify and treat a range of heart conditions, including congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, heart valve disease, cardiac tumours and inherited heart conditions.
Consultant Cardiologist, Chris Rush, said: “This accreditation means patients can be confident they’re receiving world class imaging services.
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