Winter deaths increase fuelled by ‘cutting of the public purse to the bone’

Dundee campaigner blames lack of healthcare funding for spike in fatalities

Hundreds of people lost their lives to winter in Tayside and Fife as the number of deaths across Scotland during the 2017-18 cold season hit an 18-year high.

A Dundee campaigner blamed a lack of healthcare funding and “totally inadequate” pensions for the spike in fatalities, which Age Scotland has described as “staggering”.

Figures released today by National Records of Scotland (NRS) show there were 3,594 winter deaths in 2017-18 across Courier Country, a figure which is 858 higher than in the year’s milder seasons.

In the winter of 2014-15, there were 3,375 fatalities, a harsh weather excess of 685.

Erik Cramb, from Dundee Pensioners Forum, said austerity has seen the “cutting of the public purse to the bone”.

“People working in the health and social care sector work incredibly hard under ceaseless pressure with limited resources,” he said.

“They do extensive winter planning, but that planning is about making the best use of clearly inadequate resources.”

Nationally, 23,137 deaths were registered across Scotland from December 2017 to March 2018 – up from 20,946 in 2016-2017.

It is the largest number since 23,379 deaths were registered in winter 19992000.

The most recent figures reveal there were 4,797 additional winter deaths in Scotland.

The additional deaths are the difference between winter fatalities in December to March and the average figures for summer and spring combined.

Murdo Fraser, the Tory MSP in Perthshire, which saw the biggest increase in winter deaths in Tayside and Fife, said: “Our hospitals are already planning to cancel non-emergency procedures over the festive period.

“These grim figures are further proof the SNP can’t be trusted to run our health services.”

Age Scotland’s Adam Stachura said: “The large increase in deaths due to flu and pneumonia should be setting alarm bells ringing.”

The charity suggested pensioners switch energy providers to avoid price hikes, check they are claiming all the benefits they are entitled to and book in their flu jab before the Christmas rush.

Scotland’s chief medical officer, Dr Catherine Calderwood, said: “Vaccination remains our best defence against flu and I urge people to take up the offer of a free vaccine.”

The large increase in deaths due to flu and pneumonia should be setting alarm bells ringing