Health Services

'Health Services' is the title of the sculpture by the well-known Edinburgh artist Edith Simon. She was 85 when she died in 2003. In addition to her sculptures she published 17 major books and held 30 annual Edinburgh Fringe festival exhibitions that featured an amazing diversity of her work.

The sculpture is located in the grounds of the Astley Ainslie Hospital - which was founded in 1900 "for the relief and behoof of the convalescents of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh". It was formed on the extensive grounds in the Grange area, where a number of large mansions had at one time housed the elite of the Edinburgh 19th century medical establishment, such as James Syme (who wrote the ground-breaking "Principles of Surgery"), and his son in law, Joseph Lister. - who pioneered the use of aseptic techniques.

Like the NHS - the sculpture looks a little the worse for the wear.....