A wide range of refurbishment and construction projects is being undertaken across the Western General Hospital site.
This will ensure we can support high quality care for years to come and meet increasing patient demand.
The work is being carried out in phases and is due to be completed in 2023 / 24.
Improvements to cancer services
A range of projects have been completed, or are nearing completion, to enable services to meet patient demand, including:
- A new Linear Accelerator suite: to house up to two clinical Linear Accelerators (LINACs), which are specialist treatment machines that can destroy cancer cells.
- A new Cancer Assessment Unit: a purpose-built, modern acute assessment facility is being created which will be easily accessible for patients and staff.
- Improvements to patient accommodation: wards are being refurbished and upgraded, creating more space for additional, single, ensuite rooms.
- Ward 1 Pharmacy Expansion and Refurbishment: upgrades to the pharmacy department have been completed to meet increased patient demand safely and compliantly. This ward, where outpatients received chemotherapy and other systemic anti-cancer therapies has been modernised. It also provides a new specialist pharmacy to prepare cancer drugs for patients.
- New office accommodation: existing offices have been relocated to a new facility to create more clinical space for the benefit of patients and staff.
These projects have been funded by the Scottish Government. You can read detailed information about the Oncology Enabling Projects in the Full Business Case.
The longer-term ambition is for NHS Lothian to open a new Regional Specialist Cancer Centre on the Western General Hospital site.
Proposed projects
Critical Care
A first stage business case which proposes to establish a critical care unit at the Western General Hospital was supported by the NHS Lothian Board in December 2021. It has been developed with the involvement of multiple services across NHS Lothian. A decision on developing the case further is expected to be made by the Scottish Government.
Completed projects
- Refurbishment of Haematology: to modernise inpatient and outpatient facilities funded by an exceptional charitable donation – Read new Haematology News Report or Haematology Full Business Case
- New Renal Dialysis Unit: Construction of a new, fit-for-purpose, Renal Dialysis facility to improve clinical areas and facilities – Read new Dialysis News Report
- Expansion of the Cancer Clinical Trials footprint: funded by NHS Lothian Charity
