Edinburgh's new eye hospital won't be built for another six years

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said NHS Lothian bosses confirmed the timetable when she met them along with other MSPs, patient campaign group KEEP (Keep Edinburgh Eye Pavilion) and sight loss charities on Wednesday.

It is understood the need to draw up a fresh business case for the long-awaited hospital is part of the reason for the delay.

The new hospital was first approved in 2018, then cancelled, reinstated, put on ice, given the go-ahead and now won’t be built for another six years.

Edinburgh's current Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Chalmers Street was declared unfit for purpose in 2014.

The Scottish Government first approved a replacement hospital next to the Royal Infirmary at Little France in 2018, but then cancelled it, only to be forced into a U turn during the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections.

All planning work on the new hospital was halted in 2023 by a government freeze on major projects, but Finance Secretary Shona Robison announced in December 2024 it would go ahead. Since then, MSPs, patients' groups and sight loss charities have been pressing for some indication of when the hospital will be built.

The current Eye Pavilion has been temporarily closed since October last year while water pipes are replaced and asbestos removed, with services relocated to other sites within Lothian.

Ms Boyack said the meeting with NHS Lothian followed her open letter to Health Secretary Neil Gray on the lack of clarity over progress on the new hospital. She said NHS Lothian deputy chief executive Jim Crombie revealed at the meeting that the new hospital would be delivered in six years.

She said: “I am glad to finally have some clarity of when Edinburgh will finally see a new eye hospital.

“However, I can’t shake the feeling that this facility is way overdue. The current facility has not been fit for purpose since 2014, on the current timetable patients will be waiting another six before getting the standard of services they deserve.

“I will continue to hold the Scottish Government’s feet to the fire over this until the Eye Pavilion has been delivered.”

She said NHS Lothian had promised to keep MSPs and stakeholders updated about progress and committed to proper consultation with the sight loss community.