Future of Edinburgh's Eye Pavilion uncertain after MSP's meeting with minister

Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs says he is "more concerned than ever" after a meeting with Health Secretary Jeane Freeman on the future of Edinburgh's Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion on Chalmers Street was deemed unfit in 2015

He said he was unable to pin down the minister or her officials on exactly what they planned in terms of future eyecare provision in Lothian.

But he fears the Capital is set to lose its specialist eyecare services with serious cases referred to the Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank.

The Scottish Government has told NHS Lothian it will not fund a £45m replacement for the pavilion despite an initial agreement two years ago.

Instead, the government has suggested a more “regional" approach and dispersing services to other sites, including a new elective care centre being built in Livingston. But members of the public and opposition politicians have insisted a new eye pavilion in the Capital is essential.

Mr Briggs said Ms Freeman and her officials argued there had been a move towards more local delivery of eyecare and services should be redesigned in line with that.

But he said: "I'm still very cynical over what's planned and very concerned about the government's talk of reform of services and what that actually means in reality for patients.

"There seems to be a drift towards just wanting an elective centre for more minor work and then more referrals to a specialist centre which in Sciotland's case has become the Golden Jubilee. I don't think that would be acceptable."

But he said he had been unable to get an answer on the future of the current Eye Pavilion.

"Jeane Freeman says there will be a transition with services being transferred to different places but when I ask if that means the current service on the current site will no longer be needed no-one will answer that question.

"The initial agreement which laid out all the rationale and requirements for the Eye Pavilion replacement is now being almost forgotten about to fit this new idea that a new elective centre in Livingston will be enough."

Mr Briggs said Lothian's ageing and increasing population would mean growing demand for services.

"We need to pause and consider what is needed. It would be unforgivable if they didn't take time to get this right.

"In some cases it will be a difference between saving people's sight or not - if you're not going to be able to get someone into an emergency service here in the east, can you get them into the Golden Jubilee that day? It becomes a bidding war for referral to eye services in different parts of the country."

He said the middle of a pandemic, when the health service had to be focused on Covid, was not the right time to be making decisions about the long-term future of other specialist services.

And he said a pause was needed to allow proper consideration of the issues and consultation with patients, staff and public.

"I made a personal plea to Jeane to consider what's going on and pause. “Patients, NHS staff and local representatives are being left in the dark over the plans. Decisions must be given proper scrutiny and consultation.”

Mr Briggs is seeking an urgent meeting with new NHS Lothian chief executive Calum Campbell. And he hopes to lead a debate at Holyrood within the next few weeks. MSPs from across the parties have backed a motion regretting the government’s stance.

The Scottish Governmenr has been approached for comment.

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