NHS Funding Criticised

Scottish health boards are still being short changed, despite a promise to close the gap.

In January, the Scottish Government pledged to introduce additional funding to bring all areas within 1% of parity under the NHS funding formula.

Figures show that eight health boards are currently receiving less than the promised allocation, with NHS Fife facing a shortfall of £6.2 million.

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for the North East, Alison McInnes, said: "Last month the Scottish Government said that all health boards would brought be within 1% of parity of their funding formula. They even boasted they were hitting their target a year early.
 
“Just weeks later we learn that more than half of health boards are still being short-changed. Health boards would have already been planning how to spend the additional money on A&E units, beds and staff. Instead of being given a boost, NHS Grampian is once again being short-changed – this time to the tune of £17m. It cannot be any coincidence that the boards which are consistently being short changed have poorer waiting times performance because the SNP has taken its eye off the ball.
 
“Patients and NHS staff deserve a full explanation why the SNP aren’t delivering what was promised to them only a month ago.”