NHS Lothian’s inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are set to move to their new home at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in January 2021.
The service is expected to join the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the vast majority of Children’s outpatient services in the middle of the month, following their successful migration to the new building in the summer.
Susan Goldsmith, NHS Lothian Director of Finance and Executive Lead on the Re-provision Project provided an update at a meeting of the Board of NHS Lothian on Wednesday.
Ms Goldsmith said: “We are really excited to be moving CAMHS into its new, purpose built home next month. It has been designed carefully with the input of patients and their families and with their needs in mind.
“It will provide patients and staff alike with a safe, comfortable and pleasant environment conducive to high quality treatment and care.”
Feedback on the new facility, which has come to life in recent months, has been overwhelmingly positive from staff, patients and families.
Catering outlets, including a shop, are open for staff and visitors to the building, while the rooftop helipad has passed all test flight and will come into operation once training has been completed.
The building is due to be handed over to NHS Lothian at the end of January when a period of commissioning will begin to install equipment, train staff and carry out final checks.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs commented: ““I welcome the long overdue move of CAMHS services to Royal Hospital for Sick Children, based at Little France, in January next year.
“CAMHS waiting times in Lothian are exceptionally long at the moment, with increased demand over recent years and this move is a chance to start reducing waiting times for children and young people who urgently need these services.
“I look forward to visiting the new CAMHS facilities next year when lockdown restriction allow.”
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