SCOTTISH Minister Michael Matheson MSP has said that a new £70milion community hospital will make a “real difference” in the lives of people living in East Lothian.

The Minister for Infrastructure visited the site of East Lothian Community Hospital in Haddington, which is due to be completed by August, and was impressed with the work already undertaken and attention to detail given to its design.

The new community hospital already has its outpatients department open and will have more than  120 single-bed rooms for inpatients when it is fully operational.

Mr Matheson toured  the main reception area and inpatients wards which are still under construction and admired the views from the rooms, which have large floor-to-ceiling windows and look out over the town.

And he took time to chat to painter Stephen McMullan, who was putting the finishing touches to one of the corridors, asking him for tips on the best types of paint for the job.

Speaking after his visit, which came as the minister launched a report on £1.4billion investment projects in schools, roads and healthcare which were completed over the last financial year, Mr Matheson hailed the hospital as an example of important funding.

He said: “Once complete, this hospital is going to make a real difference to the local area and people who live here.

“It allows patients to access services more locally in a state-of-the-art facility.”

Mr Matheson launched his 2018/19 update report on investment into infrastructure during his visit and pledged further investment in the coming year.

He said: “The Scottish Government’s £5 billion commitment to infrastructure investment in 2019-20 will support 50,000 affordable new homes, delivery of the extension of early learning and childcare, new roads and railways, electric vehicles and delivery of superfast broadband across Scotland.

“As part of this, our pipeline report shows Scottish Government procured projects with a value of almost £3.1 billion are estimated to be in construction across Scotland during 2019-20.

“Building on this success, our commitment is to have a National Infrastructure Mission which will increase annual infrastructure investment by 1% of current (2017) GDP by the end of the next Parliament, helping to protect and create jobs, and boost growth across the country.”

Philip Galbraith, project director from Morrison Construction, which is overseeing the hospital build, said: “‘We were delighted to welcome Mr Matheson to site and show him the modern healthcare facilities we will successfully deliver for the East Lothian community.”

Staff are expected to be moved into the hospital at the end of August. Work on landscaping and car park facilities, is expected to be completed by January.

Alison Macdonald, director of East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, said: “This hospital has been long-awaited and will bring huge benefits for patients and carers in East Lothian.

“In particular, it will enable people to have a range of procedures in a brand new, purpose-built hospital for which they previously had to travel to Edinburgh or further afield. “