A topping out ceremony has been held to mark a milestone in the construction of a £48m mental health unit.

The 15,500sqm specialist facility is being built on the west edge of the existing Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Edinburgh’s Morningside area.

When it is completed later this year, it will provide services for the adult acute mental health inpatient service, intensive psychiatric care, national brain injury unit, mental health rehabilitation and older people’s mental health assessment and treatment services.

A topping out ceremony was held on Thursday to celebrate the project reaching its highest point.

Health secretary Shona Robison MSP was joined by representatives from NHS Lothian, its development partner Hub South East, and appointed contractor, Morrison Construction.

She said: “This £48m first phase redevelopment will bring new, fit-for-purpose specialist mental health facilities for people living both in the Lothians and across Scotland.

"The new Robert Fergusson National Brain Injury Unit will ensure Scotland continues to be at the forefront of providing specialist therapeutic and rehabilitation services to patients who have suffered a brain injury.”

Tim Davison, chief executive of NHS Lothian, said: “We are delighted to see this exciting project progressing so well on site. “Seeing the buildings taking shape makes it all seem very real for our patients and staff.”