Edinburgh’s new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People has opened its door to patients after a year of delay.

The relocation to the new site at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh Little France campus was halted last July – just days before it was due to take place – after a ventilation system failed safety checks.

The first clinical teams have now moved to the new hospital to deliver a number of outpatient services including fracture clinics, physiotherapy and follow up appointments for recent surgery patients.

NHS Lothian says will also continue to use the ‘Near Me’ video call technology system to offer greater flexibility to patients and reduce the need for families to travel.

The final stages of the remedial and enhancement work in other areas of the building is continuing.

A public inquiry into the construction issues at the site – as well as those at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital – is due to get underway next month.

Susan Goldsmith, finance director and executive lead for the project with NHS Lothian said many people would feel a special connection to the Sick Kid’s at its old site in Sciennes.

“As we open the doors of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and welcome our first outpatients, I hope however, that it will be evident just how great this new facility is, and how much of an impact it will have for future generations.

“To reach this stage has taken a huge amount of work, not only from the contractors on site, but from our own project and clinical teams as well.”

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