The brand new £150 million Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences will open on 9 July 2019.
From that date he Children’s Emergency Department (ED) will transfer to the new hospital which is situated next to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France. Any new patients will be admitted to the new hospital from that date.
If a child (up to 16 years) that you care for requires emergency treatment from 8.00am on 9 July you must go to the new hospital (50 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4SF (Use Gate 2 for both Emergency Departments)
Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive of NHS Lothian, said a new chapter was beginning following a 150-year glittering history of the Royal Hospital of Sick Children, which has provided care to millions of children across Edinburgh, Lothian and beyond.
He added: “This is such an exciting time to be part of NHS Lothian’s children and young people’s services.
“It is the beginning of a new chapter and we are now counting down the days before we can move into our new home.
“It has taken a huge amount of commitment, dedication and sheer hard work to get to this point. Staff, patients and their families and friends have all contributed to imagining and creating this world-class hospital.”
Preparations for the move have been made over recent weeks and staff are ready for challenge of migrating services which will take place over 10 days in July. Visiting times may be restricted during the moves.
Between July 5 and July 15, a total of 62 children’s services, the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, as well as the day service and inpatient unit of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services will move in to the new building.
The new Emergency Department will also open on 9 July for children and young people aged up to 16. Previously it provided care for children aged up to 13 only.
There are 242 beds, 10 theatres, 10 wards, outdoor play areas, an Art and Therapeutic Design programme worth over £5 million which enhances the hospital environment. This has been funded by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity. There is a Ronald McDonald House for families of paediatric patients and a helipad. There is also bedside entertainment and public WiFi.
Inpatients will be transferred into the new hospital with the help of the Scottish Ambulance Service and partner organisations. Planned appointments are being arranged to take place in the hospital from 15 July onwards.
The new building will offer some of the most modern and best-designed healthcare facilities in the world. It is connected to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and will have paediatric care, specialist neonatal care, neurosciences and both emergency departments on one site which will reduce the need for emergency transfers between hospitals.
Mr Crombie added:“It is a huge project and a major operation is underway to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. “Many of us – staff, patients and families alike have a real affection for the old Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Sciennes so I don’t doubt there will be the odd tear shed when it closes its doors for the last time. However, we are confident that this magnificent new building and its wonderful staff will be just as important and cherished in the lives of families in the years to come.
Tracy Rendall is a member of the NHS Lothian RHSC family council and her family have been involved every step of the way. She commented : “The Sick Kids in Sciennes, Edinburgh has been an important backdrop for my family for over 15 years and I’m proud to say I was involved in the design process of some of the children’s areas in the new hospital. A lot of thought went into these, in particular the quiet spaces where people can have time away from clinical settings.
“I know that any family who needs to come here will feel reassured and will receive the best care in a really special environment designed around their needs.”
Tracy was joined by her one of her sons, Beau, who is 15. He is no stranger to spending time in the Sick Kids. On the day he was born he required clinical care since he was born with spina bifida, a condition that is when a baby’s spine and spinal cord don’t develop properly in the womb, causing a gap in the spine. Now aged fifteen, he will move into adult services in the next few years, but before he does, he will benefit from care in the new hospital as he is due to have surgery in August.
Beau said: “I’m looking forward to trying out the new bedside entertainment. Everyone will have a tablet that they can use to find out more information about the hospital, like what each uniform colour means and what time dinner will be served. There will be games and programmes to watch when in bed too.”
Wallace Weir, spokesperson for Integrated Health Solutions , added: “This has been an ambitious and complex construction project. Our priority through development has been to create a new world class building that can offer the highest standards of patient care – and we have been working in partnership with NHS Lothian to achieve this. The new building will deliver significantly improved facilities for staff, patients and their families – and we are looking forward to the start of this exciting new chapter for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.”
Reminding people of the date for the opening of the Children’s Emergency department on 9 July 2019, Mr Crombie said: “No one wants to need the Emergency Department, particularly at the beginning of the summer holidays, but it is important to remember where to go, when time is precious in an emergency.”
A leaflet has now been posted to every household in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
For more information visit www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/NewChaptersBegin
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