Plans progress for new Edinburgh eye hospital

NHS Lothian is a step closer to building a replacement for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion after its outline business case was approved.

The health secretary confirmed the health board had now been invited to submit a full business plan.

A £45m replacement eye hospital at Little France was agreed in 2018, but funding was withdrawn by the Scottish government last year.

A review of NHS Lothian's eye care services was then ordered in February.

The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion in Chalmers Street was found to be unfit for purpose in 2015.

Last December the Scottish government said it was not in a position to fund a replacement, arguing that new technology and medical advances meant many patients could now be treated just as effectively using virtual clinics and community optometrists.

However, on Friday Humza Yousaf said the new hospital would now be part of a £10bn investment in the NHS estate over the next 10 years, bringing about the renewal and replacement of health facilities across Scotland.

He said: "I am delighted that we are a step closer to delivering improved specialised eye services for the city of Edinburgh and the wider region.

"The Scottish government is committed to working closely with NHS Lothian to meet the demand for eye care, with improvements for patients and a more modernised service."

Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: "We are pleased that the outline business case for the Eye Pavilion has been approved by Scottish government. This brings us a step closer to making the vision for a replacement eye hospital a reality.

"We are dedicated to improving vital services for patients and a lot of work has gone into the project so far. I would like to thank all of the teams involved.

"There is still much left to do, however, and we will continue to work with our clinical colleagues as we prepare the full business case."