John O'Byrne, a charity founder who spent much of his childhood being treated at Glasgow's Yorkhill children's hospital, made a final visit to the site before it is demolished. The hospital, which opened in 1914, served the city for over a century before its services moved to the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in 2015. However, the old building continued to house health services until recently, when all operations were relocated. The site is now set to be bulldozed, marking the end of an era for healthcare in Scotland's largest city.
Personal memories and a bittersweet return
O'Byrne, 47, was born with a condition that caused multiple broken bones during his youth. He spent lengthy periods at Yorkhill undergoing treatment and operations. He described his final visit as bittersweet, recalling both the pain and the exceptional care he received. 'I spent a lot of time in there as a kid and then did some volunteering before turning that into my foundation,' he said. 'The staff were all brilliant with me. There are still some staff who work in the new hospital who used to deal with me when I was in there.'
After being discharged as a patient at around age 16, O'Byrne swore he would never return, but he started volunteering at the hospital at age 24 or 25. He later founded a successful charity that supports sick children in hospitals. 'I was taking games in and teddies out of my own money and that’s how I got started with my charity. It must be thousands of kids I’ve helped now,' he said.
Legacy and community attachment
The Daily Record previously launched a Love-Yorkhill campaign to preserve the hospital's name after its relocation. Despite the new site being called West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital, health chiefs promised to incorporate the Yorkhill name at the new facility. The old building, which also housed a purpose-built cinema, will now be demolished and the site marketed for redevelopment, likely for housing.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed that services have moved from the West Glasgow Ambulatory Care Hospital to other sites as part of a long-term strategy. The building will be decommissioned by the end of June 2026. A spokesman said: 'We plan a programme of legacy activity to recognise the site’s history and contribution to the care of the people of Glasgow and beyond. A programme of public and stakeholder engagement is being put in place to help shape that legacy.'
