Edinburgh's new eye hospital: Gordon Brown backs campaign for funding to replace current Eye Pavilion

After 50 years as a patient at Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion, former prime minister Gordon Brown says: ‘We need a new building, we need new facilities’

Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has thrown his weight behind the campaign to get the Scottish Government to commit to funding an early replacement for Edinburgh’s Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

In a new video message, he highlights the urgent need for a new home for the hospital, citing his own experience with the service, and described the idea that the Eye Pavilion may be lost from Edinburgh as “a tragedy”.

The government has promised a new eye hospital in Edinburgh, but an announcement is expected next week on whether it can go ahead following a spending review. NHS Lothian has listed the project among its top priorities, but campaigners fear it could be delayed.

Gordon Brown has drawn on his experience as a patient at the Eye Pavilion for 50 years to highlight the urgent need for a new building. Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images.

Mr Brown had his sight saved by surgery at the Eye Pavilion in 1971 and has attended the hospital regularly since. And he has drawn on his experience to highlight the critical need for a new building to replace the current one which was declared not fit for purpose in 2014.

In the video message he says: "I have been a patient at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion for all the 50 years it has been in operation and I, like thousands of others, am incredibly grateful for the care and attention that I’ve received on so many different occasions. It would be a tragedy if the pavilion was lost to Edinburgh, but we do need a new building and we do need new facilities. And it’s urgent for people with eye disease and eye complaints that this new facility be created.”

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack, who has campaigned consistently for the new hospital to be delivered, welcomed Mr Brown’s support. She said: “There is no one I would rather have than Gordon Brown, to join the campaign for a new Eye Pavilion. Gordon knows first-hand how critical this project is to patients across the Lothians, and beyond.”

Ms Boyack was part of a cross-party group of MSPs which has written to Health Secretary Michael Matheson to demand the funding for the hospital. She said: “Michael Matheson must listen to the breadth of support that a new Eye Pavilion has. This is not about party politics; this is about coming together to ensure the Scottish Government delivers a project that is vital for patients in Edinburgh.

“It’s vital that the Scottish Government provides the funding urgently needed for a new eye hospital in Edinburgh. Patients deserve nothing less than a modern hospital that is fit for purpose.”

MSPs’ letter: ‘Further delays will cause additional anger, frustration and desperation’

The letter, signed by MSPs from Labour, the SNP, Conservatives, Lib Dems and Alba, to Health Secretary Michael Matheson, says:

Dear Cabinet Secretary,

We write to you as Lothians MSPs who are growing increasingly concerned about the future of sight loss related healthcare provision in Edinburgh and the Lothians and ask that you set out a clear timetable for the building of the new Edinburgh Eye Hospital.

As you will be aware the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion was declared not fit for purpose in 2014, at which point a project of work was undertaken that made the strong recommendation that a new purpose-built hospital was constructed at the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh at Little France. This was seen as the best use of money as well as representing the best outcome for patients as compared to a number of other explored options.

Despite this recommendation, a decision was then made that capital funding would not be used to build a new Eye Hospital, but instead there would be investment to refurbish the existing Edinburgh Eye Pavilion. This represented the worst case scenario in the report attached to our letter, for both value for money and patient care.

We therefore welcomed the decision prior to the last Scottish Election, where the previous First Minister once again committed to a brand new Eye Hospital here in Edinburgh. Whilst the commitment was delayed, the timetable of a new Eye Pavilion opening in 2024 provided clarity to patients about the future of sight loss related care in Edinburgh, the Lothians and further afield.

However, despite numerous promises and reassurances, it became increasingly clear that the new Eye Pavilion would not be operational in 2024 and instead it now looks likely that it will not happen until 2027 at the earliest.

It is nearly 10 years since the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion was declared not fit for purpose, and in those 10 years patients have had to receive care in a building which the Scottish Government acknowledges fails to meet the standard expected of our world class NHS.

We understand the pressure on public sector finances and that inflation has made costs rise, but further delays will cause additional anger, frustration and desperation for patients and our constituents.

Therefore, we are requesting that you:

Set out the clear criteria that will be applied when capital funding is allocated so that patients have a clear understanding of how the process works;

Outline the timescale for the acquisition of land at Little France, the building timetable and projected operational opening of the New Edinburgh Eye Pavilion;

Provide a clear plan for how you will work with NHS Lothian to ensure that the care provided at the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion is meeting the standards that is expected in spite of the building not currently being fit for purpose; and

Commit to communicating and consulting with patients, visual impairment charities, and elected members from across the region on the New Edinburgh Eye Pavilion in order to achieve the best outcomes possible for the people of Edinburgh and the Lothians.

We hope that you recognise the strength of feeling felt by all our constituents that committing to building a new Edinburgh Eye Pavilion is necessary.

We look forward to hearing from you and working with you to deliver for the people of Edinburgh and the Lothians.

Yours sincerely,

Sarah Boyack MSP

Miles Briggs MSP

Ash Regan MSP

Ben Macpherson MSP

Sue Webber MSP

Jeremey Balfour MSP

Daniel Johnson MSP

Foysol Choudhury MSP