Humza Yousaf insists Scottish Government commitment to Edinburgh's new eye hospital remains - FMQs 01-02-24
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00:00 Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con): Last year, 59,240 patients attended the Princess
00:07 Alexander eye pavilion. For a patient in Edinburgh or the Borders with a detached retina, the
00:12 need for urgent emergency surgery is critical. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
00:16 has suggested that, if the Edinburgh eye pavilion is not replaced, more surgery will be centralised
00:22 to the Golden Jubilee national hospital in Glasgow. Does the First Minister think that
00:26 it would be acceptable for eye surgery to be centralised to Glasgow? Will he agree to
00:31 meet Lothian MSPs urgently to discuss those concerns and look towards where ministers
00:37 can change their mind and commit to a new replacement eye hospital?
00:41 The First Minister (Nicola Sturgeon): The clue to Miles Briggs is in the name of the
00:45 national treatment centres that we are building. Where they can offer assistance right across
00:50 the country, they should be utilised in that way. We know that patients are, if necessary,
00:56 willing to travel, but our commitment to the eye pavilion remains. That is why we will
01:00 bring forward detail on what we can take forward in regard to our investment plans.
01:06 Of course, I am more than happy to assure the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport
01:10 that he meets Miles Briggs. What would be more helpful for Miles Briggs to do is demand
01:15 that his UK Conservative colleagues reverse their 10 per cent cut to our capital budget.
01:20 They could do that in the spring budget next month. Let us see whether Miles Briggs and
01:25 the Scottish Conservatives who come to the chamber demanding that money be spent on capital
01:28 projects have any influence. Somehow, I think not.