NHS boards will be ‘£131m in red’

SCOTLAND’S health boards predict they will be £131million in the red by the end of the financial year.

A report examining the boards’ monthly financial performance has been published by the Scottish Government and shows that so far this financial year, from April 1, they are £34million in the red.

Already four boards have said they will need loans totalling £70.9million from the Government and last night critics said the figures confirmed the extent of NHS underfunding. The Government is now publishing the monthly financial performance of NHS boards following a financial scandal at NHS Tayside where the board was dipping into charity cash to cover its running costs.

Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: ‘This report confirms what ministers are desperately trying to hide – Scotland’s NHS is underfunded, staff are undervalued and the health service desperately needs to be under new management.’

The Government expects the funding gap to reduce throughout the financial year as boards find further savings, but Conservative health spokesman Miles Briggs said the situation reflected the SNP’s ‘mismanagement’ of NHS Scotland.

He added: ‘We now need ministers to get a grip on the dire financial situation they have created.’

Health Secretary-designate Jeane Freeman said: ‘Scotland’s health service is receiving record funding, providing historically high numbers of doctors, nurses and dentists, plus a proposed pay deal for the majority of staff that is the highest in the UK.

‘I expect all health boards to develop their plans and work towards delivering a balanced financial position over the remaining financial year while ensuring they provide safe and effective care.’