Edinburgh's latest purpose built care home is to be officially opened this afternoon.

The North Merchiston Care Home is the third to be built by the City of Edinburgh Council in partnership with NHS Lothian and the second to be managed by Four Seasons Health Care, one of Scotland and the UK's leading healthcare providers.

The 60 bed nursing and social care home, welcomed its first residents in January and cost £8m to build.

The provision of the new home is part of Edinburgh's Live Well in Later Life strategy, which aims to provide a wide range of quality care and support, to meet older people's needs both in their own homes and in carefully designed homes.

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It also marks the phased replacement of older style Council care homes which now need to be upgraded to provide more care in an environment welcomed by those needing to use care home services.

Councillor Paul Edie, Convener of the Health and Social Care Committee, said: "This new home gives residents the opportunity to stay in accommodation which is more suitable to their needs - en suite bathrooms, larger bedrooms and small group living - and will give them a better standard of living.

"As a Council we are committed to offering high quality residential care for older people in the city and it's important they have choice in the care they receive. North Merchiston will widen this choice and I am sure the care delivered by Four Seasons will be of high quality."

Rob Harper, Managing Director Scotland for Four Seasons Health Care, added: "We are delighted to be working once again in partnership with City of Edinburgh Council to provide older residents of Edinburgh with an excellent standard of care delivered in a purpose built, high quality building."

(GK/JM)