Edinburgh Eye Pavilion: Retired surgeon's strong words should carry weight in debate over replacement – Steve Cardownie

Tomorrow, Conservatives at Holyrood will push for the Scottish government to include funding for a new eye hospital in Edinburgh in its budget proposals.

The Princess Alexandra NHS Eye Pavilion on Chalmers Street (Picture: Greg Macvean)

The government needs the support of another party if its spending plans are to see the light of day, so unless it accepts the Tory proposal, all eyes will be on the Greens and Liberal Democrats to see which way they jump.

The Conservatives’ cause was boosted by an article in Monday’s Evening News by Hector Bryson Chawla, a retired consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion who certainly did not pull his punches.

His article started with “Edinburgh’s Eye Pavilion is the gold standard of modern health care; high-quality treatment on the doorstep of a capital city, the unit of choice for trainees from all over the United Kingdom… It is a jewel in NHS Lothian’s crown.”

He likens the decision to disperse ophthalmic provision over the Lothians as a step back into the dark ages and the lack of a master plan for ophthalmology to benefit the people of Edinburgh as “vandalism”.

It is safe to say his colours could not have been more firmly nailed to the mast and, given that his views are a clinical assessment rather than a political one, they must carry considerable weight.

I am obviously not party to the internal political negotiations between the groups at Holyrood on budget proposals but the Greens’ role will be crucial. Given the numbers involved, they are in a strong position. It will be interesting to see if they capitalise on it.

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