After a decade of delays, the last patients will finally move into Edinburgh’s new £150m Royal Hospital for Sick Children today.

From this week all services presently located at Sciennes, including A&E, will move to the world-class new facilities.

The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People is already home to the majority of the children’s outpatient services and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences (DCN), which both migrated to the Little France site in July last year. 

And earlier this year, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) inpatient facilities and some outpatient services also move  to the new hospital.

Fond memories

Fiona Mitchell, service director for women's and children’s services, at NHS Lothian, said: “Many staff have worked within the Royal Hospital for Sick Children for most of their careers and will always carry fond memories of the old building. 

“Saying goodbye was emotional, but knowing we are moving into such an incredible, bright, purpose-built space makes it difficult not to be excited.

"The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People will make such a massive difference for our patients, their families and our staff.”

Calum Campbell, chief executive of NHS Lothian, added: “We now have some of the most-modern and best-designed children's healthcare facilities in the world that will benefit children and young people in Lothian and across Scotland not just now, but for years to come.

The latest technology

“The space combines excellent architectural design, one of the UK's largest art and therapeutic design programmes and the latest clinical thinking and technology. 

“Added to this are our amazing, dedicated and expert staff who deliver exceptional patient care, day in, day out.”

The full opening of the site followed a commissioning stage, where the remaining facilities were extensively checked, equipment was tested, and staff orientation took place.

The facility was delivered by the Integrated Health Solutions Lothian, a consortium comprising Brookfield Multiplex Construction Europe(construction), HLM (architects), Macquarie Capital Group (finance) and Bouygues E&S FM UK (FM provider).