Health boards set to abandon waiting targets
PATIENTS face long waits for operations as NHS bosses plan to abandon a key SNP pledge on waiting times targets.
Health service managers are considering an unprecedented move to flout the Scottish Government’s legal guarantee on waiting times, in order to balance the books.
Patients in Scotland must get operations within 12 weeks under the Patients’ Rights Act. If the deadline is missed, the NHS is meant to farm out the treatment to the private sector.
But papers released by NHS Lothian reveal that managers are openly debating ignoring the law to address a £6.3 million deficit, only three months into the financial year.
The August board papers state: ‘The board were advised that the overspend continued, and if not arrested, decisions would be needed about whether to continue to put resources into areas like treatment time guarantees and the private sector or divert it towards the deficit.’
Critics last night said the move placed serious doubt over the SNP’s flagship health policy.
Scottish Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: ‘It was clear from the start Nicola Sturgeon’s legal guarantee on waiting times was unachievable. We’re now left with a situation where one of Scotland’s biggest health boards is considering opting out altogether.’
Scottish Labour health spokesman Jenny Marra said: ‘NHS Lothian is under so much financial strain it has found itself caught between two SNP laws – to balance the books and to treat patients within 12 weeks. The SNP must be honest about what can be done and not guarantee three-month treatment times then break that law.’
Dr Jean Turner of the Scotland Patients Association said: ‘The waiting times guarantee is statutory, but if boards don’t have the money they can’t meet it.
‘When a patient is ill, they cannot postpone their illness. The bottom line here is that patients will suffer.’
Jim Crombie, NHS Lothian chief officer of acute care, said: ‘The comments were a small part of an extensive discussion and reflect an example of discretionary areas of spend if our statutory requirement to break even was compromised.
‘At the moment, we have no plans to resort to this sort of contingency and continue to look for opportunities to reduce our deficit without deferring treatment for any patients.’
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘NHS boards have consistently received above inflation increases in frontline spending and need to use those resources to deliver against waiting times targets. This year, NHS Lothian received a 3.5 per cent budget increase, taking the total to £1.2 billion, alongside extra targeted funding to help support the delivery of waiting times. The board are clear they will be using the resources available to focus on providing the treatment patients need within the timescales set out.’