The project to redevelop the Royal Edinburgh Hospital campus has taken another step forward with the keys to the £48m first phase being exchanged.
Preparations are underway to start a rolling programme of service relocations to the new facilities and staff will move into their new surroundings throughout the first half of this year.
Phase one of the campus redevelopment includes the Royal Edinburgh Building, a facility providing services for the adult acute mental health inpatient service; an older people’s mental health assessment unit, an Intensive Psychiatric Care Service (IPCU); and the new Robert Fergusson national brain injury unit.
Professor Alex McMahon, chairman of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital campus project board at NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted that we now have the keys to the new buildings.
“A lot of hard work has gone into reaching this important stage in the project and, while we are not yet at the stage of moving services into the buildings, it does represent a significant milestone in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital campus redevelopment.
“Throughout this process we have involved, listened to, and taken on board the views of patients, staff and members of the public and are confident these new facilities will provide excellent mental healthcare to adults and older people in Lothian.”
The redevelopment of the hospital site was undertaken in partnership with development partner, Hub South East Scotland, which was involved from the initial stages of masterplanning and appointed Morrison Construction as the main building contractor for phase one.
Jo Elliot, chairman of Hub South East Scotland, said: “I am delighted to mark the handover of our first revenue-funded health facilities and largest completed project to date.
The main the Royal Edinburgh Building
“The hub’s involvement from the beginning helped shape the plans for this campus redevelopment and it’s exciting to be able to tour the new facilities and see the modern spaces patients and staff will soon be using.
It’s also with great pride that we can demonstrate a range of community benefits, from supporting 30 apprentices and 37 new jobs during construction, to awarding 94% of work packages to Scottish SMEs.”
David Wilson, operations director for Morrison Construction, added: “The new hospital is a first-class facility and will transform and enhance healthcare for patients and staff.
The redevelopment of the rest of the campus is planned in two more phased stages, subject to full business case approval and financial close.
Phase two will include a new integrated rehabilitation facility; the refurbishment of MacKinnon House; and a new facilities ,anagement centre.
The reception area at the new hospital
