New opening date revealed for Sick Kids hospital after decade of delays

The hospital was originally due to open in 2012.
Edinburgh's new Sick Kids hospital has been hit with a series of delays to construction in recent years. Pic: Scott LoudenEdinburgh's new Sick Kids hospital has been hit with a series of delays to construction in recent years. Pic: Scott Louden
Edinburgh's new Sick Kids hospital has been hit with a series of delays to construction in recent years. Pic: Scott Louden

The Edinburgh Sick Kids hospital is due to finally open its doors in January 2021, NHS Lothian has said.

It comes after the first teams delivering outpatient children’s services moved to the £150 million site at Little France in mid July, including fracture clinics, physiotherapy services and post-surgery follow-up appointments.

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Building works will finally be completed on January 25, 2021.

In the final stages of the move to the new site equipment will be installed and tested, followed by the migration of staff and patients.

The new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, which was originally due to open in winter 2012, has been plagued by delays and setbacks over the course of nearly a decade.

Problems included financial difficulties, bad weather and a serious flood after a hot water pipe burst over night.

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The hospital was finally due to open in July 2019, but the move was cancelled at the last minute by Health Secretary Jeane Freeman after final inspections revealed the ventilation system in critical care did not meet national standards.

Further checks on the building revealed issues with drainage, water, electrical and fire systems.

The opening date was delayed until November 23 2020, but this was put back again as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Susan Goldsmith, NHS Lothian Finance Director and Executive Lead for the Project said: “Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented us with, the teams have done an incredible job in continuing to drive this project forward.

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"I am delighted to have received a date by which the building works will be completed.

“Planning for a move is always an exciting time, and this is no exception.

"Having seen colleagues within Children’s Outpatient Services move to the new building in July this year, those who remained at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Sciennes, and those who work in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, have undoubtedly been eager to find out when they too will migrate.

“I know I am not alone, in looking forward to seeing all of our Children’s Services together in the fantastic new facility that is the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

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“I am delighted that we can now start to have discussions on the final phase of this move with greater clarity and conviction.”

News of the opening date was welcomed by Lothian MSP Miles Briggs, who highlighted the delays the project has encountered.

He said: “I am pleased that we have now finally been given a firm deadline for the opening of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

“This hospital is years late, millions of pounds over budget and families, and NHS staff in Edinburgh and East of Scotland will be glad that they will finally be getting the state of the art hospital they deserve.

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“The independent review into why we have seen such mismanagement of the project to build the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People must get to the bottom of what went has gone so spectacularly wrong and ensure those responsible are held accountable.”

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