Scottish NHS under pressure over referrals

SNP ministers were today under pressure over major staff shortages in Scotland’s NHS after it emerged the number of patients being sent to other parts of the UK for specialist treatment has increased from 427 in 2013-14 to 625 in 2016-17.

The Liberal Democrats urged Shona Robison, the health minister, to explain the rise, with the cost of referring patients up from £11.9 million to £15.2million. The total bill for the Scottish NHS over the past four years has reached £51.7 million.

It comes amid criticism of NHS workforce planning, with nursing and consultant vacancies at a record high.