Final hearing on Edinburgh hospital resumes
The Scottish Hospitals Inquiry will continue hearing evidence in relation to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neurosciences (RHCYP/DCN) from Monday 26 February 2024.
This will be the final planned evidence session on the Edinburgh hospital and will clarify a number of issues as given in the list of topics.
The Inquiry will hear from experts, representatives of some of the companies and organisations involved in the hospital project and those in key decision-making roles, such as the former Cabinet Secretary for Health, Ms Jeane Freeman. The hearing programme is available on the Hearings Page on a weekly basis.
These hearings are going to examine several issues including the design of the ventilation systems, the decision-making and governance around the opening of the hospital, and whether the hospital provides a satisfactory environment for the delivery of safe and effective care.
Lord Brodie, Chair of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, said “The upcoming hearing should complete the oral evidence to be heard in relation to the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience in Edinburgh. This evidence will build on the provisional findings set out in the papers already published by the Inquiry Team and the responses to them which have been provided by core participants in the Inquiry.”
At the conclusion of oral evidence the core participants will be invited to submit written closing statements. Lord Brodie has indicated that, once these have been received, a final hearing on the Edinburgh hospital will be held in June 2024 where the legal representatives of the core participants will have the opportunity to make brief oral submissions focusing on what are identified as the key issues for the Inquiry.
It is Lord Brodie’s intention to issue an interim report on the Edinburgh hospital. Details of which will be announced in due course.
The Inquiry Team continues to work on preparations for the third hearing in relation to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which will begin in August of this year. Please see Direction 5 for further details on the issues that will be covered then.
Evidence bundles, witness statements and transcripts are available on the Inquiry Documents page shortly before the hearing starts.
To follow proceedings remotely, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
If you’re a member of the public and wish to attend the hearings in person, please fill out this form and email it back to public@hospitalsinquiry.scot.
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