Deeper cuts are possible for NHS

Labour claim £400m will have to be slashed

Cuts to NHS services in West Lothian will be deeper than first thought, according to an MSP.

Lothian MSP Neil Findlay claims that residents should be frightened about the future of NHS Lothian.

That’s after Scottish Labour’s health spokesman, Anas Sarwar, revealed that the health board will be forced to make £400 million of saving over the next four years.

We revealed earlier this year that NHS Lothian has an £82million black hole in its finances.

Bosses have already found £ 60million worth of savings, including £ 1.8million of cuts directly to West Lothian- based services this year alone.

But £20.1million still needs to be found to break even this year and more could have to be found in future years.

Neil Findlay said: “Making £ 400m of cuts will have a detrimental impact on the current level of service NHS Lothian provides.

“We already know that in order to meet their current deficit, NHS Lothian have proposed savings that will mean they cannot meet many of their treatment time guarantees. Or, to put it another way this means that people in West Lothian will be waiting longer to get the treatment they need.

“It is about time that we started to use the powers that we have now to raise the funds necessary to keep our NHS working effectively and providing the services that so many people need.”

But Linlithgow MSP Fiona Hyslop accused Mr Findlay of “scaremongering”.

She added: “The Health Secretary Shona Robison has already commented that there are no planned cuts to the health budget from the Scottish Government and to suggest otherwise is entirely false.

“I am confident that the people of West Lothian will take the time to investigate the facts and not believe the scaremongering of those who continually talk down our NHS.”

Both MSPs were responding after Anas Sarwar said: “In Lothian, the SNP have already forced the health board to cut £192million from their budget. But over the next four years the SNP are proposing £400million in additional cuts in Lothian alone.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “All NHS boards work to deliver efficiency savings to ensure public money is being used effectively and every penny of these savings is directly reinvested in the NHS.”

Susan Goldsmith, director of finance, NHS Lothian said: “NHS Lothian is required to deliver efficiency savings every year which are reinvested in frontline services.

“Like all boards, we remain in constant contact with the Scottish Government regarding performance and finance related issues.”

Last month we revealed that St John’s Hospital in Livingston will have £543,000 cut from its budget while St Michael’s geriatric hospital in Linlithgow is facing £300,000 of cuts.

And the West L othian Community Health and Care Partnership (CHCP) may also face cuts with mental health services and dentistry all going under the microscope.

Across the health board area NHS bosses have identified £30million of ‘long term savings’ including those identified in West Lothian.

Those include stopping the use of temporary staff and cutting the bed compliment at St John’s, reviewing community health initiatives and making savings in dental clinical leadership. A further £30m of oneoff savings for 2016/17 have also been identified.