A new Edinburgh Eye Pavilion is on the horizon.
The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion (PAEP) was declared unfit for purpose 10 years ago. After tireless campaigning, the Scottish Government have now agreed to fund a new facility.
The current hospital will however, be closed for at least six months for emergency plumbing repairs.
We’re working with NHS Lothian, MSPs and the Scottish Government to ensure there are interim plans for existing and future patients to receive the quality eyecare they deserve.
We’re delighted the Scottish Government has finally committed to funding three replacement hospitals in Scotland, including Edinburgh’s Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion. After years of broken promises, this will ensure that the 180,000+ people across Scotland who are estimated to live with sight loss get the quality eyecare they deserve.
No voice left unheard.
An estimated 45,260 of individuals live in local authority areas served by the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion (PAEP).
With leaky roofs, broken lifts and waiting times at an unprecedented high, we’ve been campaigning with patients, MSPs and other visual impairment organisations for a new eye hospital without further delay.
After years of broken promises, the Cabinet Secretary for Health has said the eye hospital is a priority and a commitment is now finally in place for a new facility.
The current urgent repair work at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion is worrying though, as this will severely disrupt patient services for at least six months. Outpatient waiting times have quadrupled since 2014. Now, less than a third of patients are seen within 12 weeks, compared to 90% 10 years ago.
Patients will be reallocated to facilities at St John's, the Lauriston Building, the Edinburgh Royal or at East Lothian Community Hospital.
Our Actions
- We wrote directly to Jim Crombie, Interim Chief Executive Officer of NHS Lothian, asking that the safety and wellbeing of patients remains NHS Lothian’s top priority.
- We hosted a round table discussion in the Scottish Parliament with MSPs, NHS Lothian’s Interim Chief Executive Jim Crombie, and representatives from Visibility Scotland, RNIB Scotland, our Policy Group and the Keep Edinburgh Eye Pavilion campaign.
- Our CEO, Craig Spalding, publicly spoke out about the impact of the eye hospital closure in the Edinburgh Evening News and The Herald.
- We pressed NHS Lothian to clarify plans on where patients will be reallocated, access to patient support, accessible communications of appointment changes and longer-term contingency plans if repairs exceed the six-month timeframe.
Are you a patient who has been affected by the poor conditions and the emergency closure of the Edinburgh eye hospital? We want to hear from you.
Drop us an email at policy@sightscotland.org.uk.
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