What's in a name?

Until the other week I never realised that Glasgow had a new university.  We have Glasgow, Strathclyde and Caledonian within the city boundaries.  But out of the blue a new one has arisen. 

How do I know this when as yet there is not a single brick in place as far as I am aware? 

Because what was once the new South Glasgow University Hospital became the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital when it was opened by Mrs Windsor last month.   Where is Queen Elizabeth University it is linked to?  

Inevitably, questions are being asked. 

Why were public were not consulted on renaming Scotland's largest hospital after the queen?   Chairman of the health board, Andrew Robertson, has outlined his reasons for deciding not to seek wider feedback on the royal re-brand for the first time as it emerged the name change and the royal opening ceremony will cost more than £100,000.  He said it was because some people would have been disappointed.  Er, what?  So, let’s not bother having elections as some people will be disappointed with the result?

Some clearly are disappointed, like Dr Keith McKillop, who works as a specialist in the £842m building.  Last week he said could not bring himself to utter the new name and wrote in The Herald: "Queen Elizabeth is the most potent symbol of the glaring inequalities in our society, a vivid representation of the growing gulf between rich and poor." 

And the young and impressive Ross Greer, Scottish Green candidate for East Dunbartonshire in the recent election said: "It's not hard to think of a few dozen ways to better spend £100,000 of NHS funds. Serious questions need to be asked as to how far in advance it was known that the hospital may be renamed and re-branded and whether this ridiculous waste could have been avoided. I don't think anyone could seriously argue that £51,000 on new plaques was an unavoidable and necessary spend.  Aside from the cost itself it really does beggar belief that such an amazing new facility could not have been named after one of the many notable figures Scotland has contributed to the field of medicine."  Good point that last one Ross.

It is quite remarkable that a more appropriate name could not have been selected from the world class University of Glasgow alumni.  We should be proud of our world class medical scientists such as Joseph Lister (antisepsis), George Beatson (breast cancer), John Macintyre (X-rays and radiology), William Hunter (anatomy and obstetrics), Dame Anne Louise McIlroy (gynaecologist and obstetrician) and Ian Donald (ultrasound).  Surely one of these fine people should have been honoured.  

Mind you, I have a different take on this.  I think it is just getting the royal name on buildings before the inevitable.  Cementing the concept of monarchy in peoples minds.  But still, I would like to know the answer to a few questions. Were the hospital board asked to name it Queen Elizabeth by someone? And if so, by whom?  Who discussed it in Glasgow?  Let’s see the minutes for this momentous decision. 
  

You can join the debate by joining the 12,775 people who have signed an on line petition calling for the new name to be scrapped before they waste any more of our taxpayers money in the re-branding.

And the future?  "Take me to the Southern" will suffice for all the taxi drivers in town.