Delays to new eye hospital - your views online

Edinburgh's promised new eye hospital appears to have fallen behind schedule even before it has left the drawing board

Gus Stewart

Thankfully, despite Miles Briggs et al, we have a fully functional building which I attend regularly and receive exemplary treatment. Fast forward … Miles Briggs blames rushed planning process for snagging at new eye hospital.

Gordon Davie

It's not even past the planning stage so it can't be late. There's other things happening at the site. It's being built – just £750 million worth of investment! People forget there is a working hospital adjacent, it’s not as simple as just building more infrastructure.

Ricky Stewart

Not just the eye hospital that’s late, there’s a problem across the board with building work due to labour, materials and Covid etc.

Anne Cunningham

Whatever the state of the building the staff are always efficient. Just had an operation there and the after care marvellous; appointments always on time.

Jacqueline Bell

We've been waiting on a new facility in Belhaven since 2009.

Colin Mackay

I could see this coming!

Peter Little

Just six months? That’s good for this mob.

Iain Armstrong

At least Scotland builds hospitals, late or not.

Hospital parking

Nurses threatened by angry residents as parking row boils over at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Caroline Macdonald

People who live in the surrounding areas have had a parking issue put in their streets because the new hospital won’t provide free parking for staff and visitors – it’s a disgrace. And stop charging for parking in a place where people are being cared for. Our NHS staff should all be able to park at their work for free. They provide an essential service for us all and free parking is the least we can expect for our brilliant care teams.

Viv Atherton

Instead of the residents hurling abuse, they could put their energies into trying to get free parking for NHS workers. It’s disgraceful that they have to pay.

Alexandra Ferguson

Most shifts are now between 12 to 13 hours. I have yet to hear from the people who have to use public transport. It’s a privilege to get to park so near to your work not a right. Yes it makes the day longer, but most staff agreed to work these hours and it was passed by their unions for it to go ahead.

Sonia Hood

We dont need to pay, we dont get allowed in as we aren’t allowed a parking permit. It’s been free a while now but staff have to meet strict criteria. Doesn’t matter that you already do 12 .5 hour shifts and getting public transport makes your day a 15-hour stretch!

Rita Walker

People have a right to park where they like if they pay road tax etc. Residents don't have the right to park outside their houses, unless they pay for a parking space. I understand it’s annoying when someone else parks in "your" space, but then really it isn't "your" space, it’s a public road and people can park there if they so wish.

Alan Burnett

All parking at hospitals should be free especially for staff, just greedy people won't have it that way.

Gemma Young

You can legally park anywhere that’s not yellow lines etc. People don’t own the roads, it’s different if you were parking on a driveway or something.

Mandy Boynes

The parking is free but staff are not allowed to park unless they have a permit.

Janet Adams

The parking charges are there because the New Sick Kids was privatised by SNP in 2016 to an Australian company called McQuarrie.

Ian Vandepeear

This will become normal across Edinburgh when the parking place levy comes into force. No thought as to where bus, train and tram drivers will park!

Jim Taylor

Scandal. Parking should be free at hospitals for all, and government should not be charging for workplace parking. And patients come from a hinterland that public transport alone can't serve, and with conditions that don't deserve to be further burdened by council diktat and private greed. Councils are supposed to be managing cities for the citizens, not fuelling council greed.

Graham Alexander

I wonder where the managers and executives park.

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