Edinburgh’s new Sick Kids hospital won’t be open for at least another year, and fixing the latest blunders will cost the taxpayer an extra £16 million.
In a statement at Holyrood today, health secretary Jeane Freeman revealed problems with ventilation, water systems and drainage will “take time” to address.
She told MSPs: “It is clear that there is significant work to be undertaken to ensure the site is fully compliant.”
On top of the additional £16 million costs, NHS Lothian will continue to pay £1.35 million a month to the site owners at Little France, which will total a further £16 million by the time the hospital opens.
The replacement Sick Kids was supposed to open at the end of 2012, but has been repeatedly delayed due to a range of “catastrophic failings”.
Ms Freeman also told parliament today that the adjacent brain unit will be impacted, and may not open until the spring.
Jeremy Balfour, Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian Region has said:
“It is appalling that the incompetency of the SNP government in managing our NHS is taking its toll on some of our most vulnerable children.
“By continually delaying the opening of the Sick Children’s hospital, which was promised over a decade ago, the Scottish Government have failed thousands of vulnerable children and their families.
“Not only is this a major blow for families that must wait another year for the hospital to open; it is a disappointment to taxpayers who will have to compensate for these catastrophic failings in the form of £30 million between now and next Autumn.
“The SNP can no longer bury their head in sand. Responsibility must be taken for this devastating failure. Heads must roll.”