The works within the building are now nearing completion, and a plan has been developed for the return of services, which will begin from mid-June. Services will continue to operate from their temporary locations, noted below, until their proposed move date. We anticipate that all services will have moved back into the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion and be available for patients by the end of June.

Why is The Eye Pavilion Temporarily Closed?

Extensive work on the plumbing system was required and began at the end of October 2024. This involved the removal of two waste pipes as well as asbestos material from a sealed cavity where the pipework was located.

The decision to close the building and move services to other locations temporarily was made in order to protect patients, staff and visitors, enabling the work to be carried out more speedily and safely.

The works within the building are now nearing completion, and a plan has been developed for the return of all services. Services will continue to operate from their temporary locations, noted below, until their proposed move date, which is scheduled for mid-June. We anticipate that all services will have moved back into the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion and be available for patients by the end of June.

Where did Services Go?

Services were distributed across five locations in NHS Lothian – St John’s Hospital, Livingston, the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, East Lothian Community Hospital and the Lauriston Building which is adjacent to the Eye Pavilion.

Inpatient services and day surgery appointments have been located at St John’s, while referrals for emergency ophthalmology cases have been treated at the Lauriston Building, a major outpatient centre which also served as temporary home to many of the Eye Pavilion’s clinics.

Our teams have worked hard to minimise disruption and to ensure that inpatient and outpatient appointments could continue, and that patients could still be seen and treated despite the temporary closure of Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

While we progress the plans for services to return to the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, in the interim period, patients will continue to access care in the temporary locations noted below. All patients attending appointments will receive clear information about where they should attend.

New Locations for Eye Pavilion Services

How to Find Public Bus Routes to Your New Appointment Location

To plan your journey to St John’s Hospital, the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, East Lothian Community Hospital, or the Lauriston Building, you can use the Lothian Buses Journey Planner (Please use ‘West Howden Road’ as your destination for St John’s Hospital). This tool provides detailed routes for both city and regional bus services, helping you find the best public transportation options from your home to your appointment.

In addition, please find an overview of the bus routes to each hospital site below.

St John’s Hospital

St John’s Hospital is served by Lothiancountry services providing local links within West Lothian and services to and from Edinburgh.

• Service X27/X28: link between St John’s Hospital, Livingston Centre and Edinburgh. It also serves local West Lothian links to Bathgate, East Calder, Mid Calder and Calderwood.
• Service X40: link between St John’s Hospital and the Royal Infirmary. It also offers an interchange at Gilmerton and Westside Plaza.
• Service 72: local West Lothian links to Fauldhouse, Whitburn, Blackburn, Livingston, Uphall, Broxburn, Winchburgh.
• Service 73: local West Lothian links to Bathgate and Blackburn.
• Service 74: local West Lothian links to West Calder, Polbeth and Fauldhouse. This service does not directly serve St John’s Hospital as it starts and ends at Livingston The Centre however, every 74 bus continues as a service 73 (and vice versa) serving St John’s Hospital.

Royal Hospital for Children Edinburgh

• Service 7: Newhaven, Leith, Old Town, Cameron Toll, Liberton and Gracemount to Royal Infirmary
• Service 8: Muirhouse, Granton, Inverleith, Broughton, Old Town, Cameron Toll, Inch to Royal Infirmary
• Service 21: Clovenstone, Drum Brae, Drylaw, Ferry Road, Leith, Lochend, Portobello, The Jewel and Greendykes to Royal Infirmary
• Service 24: Muirhouse, Drylaw, Stockbridge, Princes Street, Lothian Road, Marchmont, Cameron Toll to Royal Infirmary
• Service 33: Baberton, Westside Plaza, Sighthill, Gorgie, Haymarket, Princes Street, Old Town, Cameron Toll to Royal Infirmary. Continue to Danderhall, Sheriffhall Park&Ride and Millerhill.
• Service 38: West Granton, Comely Bank, Craigleith, Murrayfield, Balgreen, Morningside, Blackford and Cameron Toll to Royal Infirmary.
• Service 46: Musselburgh, Newcraighall, Greendykes to Royal Infirmary. Rosewell, Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, Sheriffhall Park&Ride Danderhall to Royal Infirmary.
• Service 48: Musselburgh, Newcraighall, Greendykes to Royal Infirmary. Gorebridge, Mayfield, Dalkeith, Sheriffhall Park&Ride Danderhall to Royal Infirmary.
• Service 49: Fort Kinnaird, Portobello, Lochend, Leith, Old Town, Cameron Toll to Royal Infirmary.
• Service 400: Edinburgh Airport, Westside Plaza, Colinton, Oxgangs, Gracemout, Moredunvale to Royal Infirmary. Then continues to Fort Kinnaird.
• Service X40: St John’s Hospital, Livingston, Mid Calder, Calderwood, Westside Plaza, non-stop via city by-pass, Gilmerton to Royal Infirmary.

East Lothian Community Hospital

EastCoastbuses services and EVE services serve Haddington, providing express links to and from Edinburgh alongside local links within East Lothian.

EastCoastbuses services are operating to Haddington, but do not stop directly outside the hospital. The nearest stop is at “Letham Drive” on West Road, just a short 10-minute walk away. However, EVE service 121 offers direct service to the hospital, with convenient connections available at Haddington High Street. There are also Prentice local services stopping outside the hospital. An EastCoastbuses County or CountyPLUS Day Ticket includes travel on both EastCoastbuses and EVE.

• EastCoastbuses X6: Edinburgh City Centre, Meadowbank, Willowbrae, The Jewel, Wallyford, Tranent, macmerry to Haddington.
• EastCoastbuses X7: Edinburgh City Centre, Meadowbank, Willowbrae, The Jewel, then direct via A1 to Haddington. Continues to East Linton and Dunbar.
• EastCoastbuses 106: Fort Kinnaird, Musselburgh, Wallyford, Tranent, Macmerry to Haddington
• EVE Service 121: North Berwick, Drem, Athelstaneford to Haddington.
• EVE Service 123: Pencaitland, Gifford to Haddington.

All timetables for services listed above are available from the Lothian Buses website and customers can also reach out to the Customer Services department for any query on 0131 554 4494.