A meeting organised by Sarah Boyack MSP with the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Michael Matheson, to discuss the delayed Edinburgh Eye Pavilion has left patients and campaigners even more concerned about its future.
At the meeting it was confirmed that all previous work on designing and building the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion will be wasted as a new full business case will have to be written, costing many more millions of pounds.
Michael Matheson also failed to provide clarity on the timescales expected for the new building, confirming it may not even come in this funding cycle.
Commenting Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said, “This flip flopping has been going on for too long. One minute the Scottish Government are committed to a new Eye Pavilion, next they are not.
“Michael Matheson’s failure to provide clarity today will leave patients worried, confused and angry.
“It did not have to be this way, if it had been built on time we would have saved many millions of pounds and patients would not be left in the dark.”
Also commenting Sylvia Paton, chair of KEEP said, “While Mr Matheson assured us that a new Eye Hospital would be built at some point, we are very disappointed about the lack of clarity over when.
“The prospect of further delays raise serious concerns about the Scottish Government’s future commitment to the project.”