Moving Edinburgh's eyecare to Livingston was rejected seven years ago

MSPs pressing for a new Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh have urged the Scottish Government to accept the verdict reached seven years ago when the option of moving to Livingston was rejected.

The Scottish Government will not fund a replacement for the Eye Pavilion Picture: Greg Macvean

Ministers have told NHS Lothian they will not fund a replacement for the current Eye Pavilion in Chalmers Street and have suggested operations could instead be be carried out at a new elective treatment centre being built next to St John's Hospital in Livingston.

But back in 2014, when the Eye Pavilion had already been judged no longer fit for purpose, the then chief executive of NHS Lothian, Tim Davison, made clear the problems with any plan to move services so far away.

The favoured solution at that point was a move across the road to the Lauriston Building. Mr Davison told the Evening News at the time: "Another option was to redevelop the Eye Pavilion either at the ERI, the Western General or St John's."

In 2014 the Eye Pavilion had already been judged no longer fir for purpose - but a move to Livingston was rejected

But although St John's probably had the most space, moving outwith the Capital was likely to be prove unpopular, he said, because many patients had sight problems. "It is an older population with impaired vision so we want services to be as accessible as can be."

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said ministers had to accept the need for a new Eye Pavilion located in the Capital.

She said: "Livingston was rejected as the solution last time. The importance of the Eye Pavilion being in Edinburgh is the sheer number of patients that need to access it. I’m aware of people who have had to go through to the the Golden Jubilee hospital in Clydebank for eye treatment and there is a real challenge for patients who have experienced sight loss in terms of transport. You would have the same issue going to Livingston.

"It’s absolutely vital we get a modern eye pavilion in Edinburgh and it's deeply disappointing the Scottish Government has withdrawn the £45 million NHS Lothian was hoping to be able to use for the new project.

"Seven years ago NHS Lothian was of the view the hospital was past its sell by date and they had plans for its replacement. For us to find out at this stage that the £45m is being withdrawn is completely unacceptable and the government needs to rethink its position urgently.”

Lothian Tory MSP Miles Briggs said the arguments the health board made last time against moving services out of the city carried as much weigh today as they did then.

He said he had spoken to patients who use the Eye Pavilion and they had real concerns about being forced to travel to Livingston. “It’s often people who can’t travel on their own and there’s a huge issue about parking at St John’s anyway so the idea we would send everybody in cars to St John’s is ridiculous.”

The current Eye Pavilion was opened in 1969 but health bosses said in 2012 that the building was "nearing the end of its useful life" and the following year it was deemed no longer fit for purpose.

An initial agreement for a new Eye Pavilion next to the Royal Infirmary at Little France was reached two years ago and work was well under way until the government pulled the plug. The government insists it never made a commitment to fund the new building.

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