New Sick Kids on track for 2015 opening

THE new Sick Kids hospital should still be up and running by 2015 despite funding blows, health chiefs have said.

Debating the issue publicly for the first time since the Scottish Government told them there was no cash for the project, NHS Lothian bosses said they hoped to move things forward in time for an opening in four years' time.

It emerged late last year that the health board, which was previously told it would be given public funds, would have to find its own finance through the Scottish Futures Trust - described as a new version of PFI.

At the time, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said she still expected the 250 million project at Little France to be delivered on time.

Director of finance Susan Goldsmith said: "There requires to be a re-assessment of the programme. We are doing all we can to ensure that any delay is minimised and believe that the project can be completed by 2015."