Flood at new Sick Kids won't cost NHS Lothian

Hundreds of gallons of water damaged the new site

The Evening News reported last month how a domestic hot water pipe burst, leading to a “severe flood” at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at Little France.

The consortium behind the project, IHS Lothian, launched an urgent investigation into the cause and potential cost of the blunder. Meanwhile doubts were cast as to whether to development could face further delays.

This led to Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs Cabinet asking the Scottish Government for clarification on the matter.

Cabinet secretary for health and sport Jeane Freeman responded by saying: “With respect to any potential delays to the project, NHS Lothian is presently working with the contractor in order to properly assess the situation, and this will continue over the coming days. NHS Lothian confirms that there will be no additional cost to the health board as a result of the incident.”

A site insider believed hot water was streaming through the building for hours after the pipe burst when the site was closed overnight on June 6.

Project director Brian Currie told the Evening News that despite this the building remains on course for completion in the autumn.

Mr Briggs added any additional cost to NHS Lothian due to the flooding would have been “unacceptable”.

It is the latest in a catalogue of setbacks for the facility, which was originally due to open in the winter of 2012.