Birthing unit at ERI still long overdue

Published on Friday 26 November 2010 13:57

A LONG-awaited new birthing unit at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary has been delayed by the latest row between health chiefs and private contractors, it emerged today.

VISION: An artist's impression of the proposed birthing unit at the Royal Infirmary

It is understood Consort - the PFI firm which built the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary - wanted to make changes to the plans for the centre at the Simpson's Centre for Reproductive Health on the Little France site.

NHS Lothian has to agree with the company on all development on the site, which it owns, and reach a financial settlement.

Health chiefs said those issues had now been resolved, but would not go into any detail about the financial comprises made by either side.

The centre was already meant to be up and running but work will not now start until January, with an opening date expected some months later.

NHS Lothian's director of finance Susan Goldsmith said: "The birthing unit is a project that will be delivered with our PFI partners and they have changed the mechanism for the way the work is done.

"This has taken longer than anticipated, and has caused a time delay we didn't expect."

Board member George Walker said the delays caused should act as a warning for other schemes.

He said: "It is an area that worries me. My frustration is we are always talking about big development projects that are going to happen.

"An example of this is the birthing unit. It should have been built and open by now but work hasn't even started yet."

It is the latest in a series of blows NHS Lothian has been dealt on its capital projects.

Yesterday the Evening News revealed that a number of major projects will be delayed because of the Scottish Government performing a funding U-turn.

No-one from Consort was available for comment.