Plans for the co-location of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences (RHSC + DCN) at Little France have been submitted to the City of Edinburgh Council.
This major development will create a new home for services from the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and the Department of Clinical Neurosciences next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
A decision on the plans is expected to be received later this summer with work on the new hospital due to start before the end of 2014.
Earlier this year consortia, Integrated Health Solutions Lothian, were chosen as the preferred bidder to design, build, finance and maintain the new hospital.
Susan Goldsmith, Finance Director, NHS Lothian said: “Integrated Health Solution Lothian’s submission of their planning proposals represents another important milestone for this project to provide a purpose built healthcare facility for neurosciences and child and adolescent acute and mental health care.
“We have worked closely with Integrated Health Solutions Lothian and our colleagues at the City of Edinburgh Council to ensure that the proposals have met and, where possible, tried to exceed the planning in principle requirements approved in April 2012.
“This development is vital in creating a major trauma centre, reducing the need for emergency transfers between hospitals and bringing age appropriate and modern settings for patients, visitors and staff onto one site.”
The new, six-floor development (including basement), will be linked to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh via the separate children and adult Emergency Departments.
The facility will have an atrium with a shop and café, a stunning skylight linking both the Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Department of Clinical Neurosciences entrances, a high percentage of single en-suite rooms with good natural light and a helipad on the roof.
John Ballantyne, Bid Director, Integrated Health Solutions Lothian said: “We have been working closely with the Department of Planning at the City of Edinburgh Council as well as consultees both internal and external to the City of Edinburgh Council in the preparation of the Planning Submission documentation.
“We have also worked closely with the NHS Lothian Board project team and its advisors in the completion of the application to ensure its alignment with the previously granted planning in principle. We are looking forward to beginning construction of this new development.”
Alex Neil, Health Secretary, Scottish Government, said: “The submission of these plans is an important step in the work to bring together medical and psychological treatment for children and young people in the Lothians.
“The Scottish Government has provided £36 million to ensure the new facility has cutting-edge medical equipment, and the project is part of our £750 million package of revenue-financed health projects, which will improve the nation’s health by delivering new state-of-the-art hospitals and health centres across the country.”
Click here to watch a fly through of the new hospital
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