NHS Tayside boss given double pay out.

Yesterday’s release was Auditor General Caroline Gardner’s fourth consecutive report on the cash-strapped board.

In the report, she described its position as “deteriorating”, saying there was “little evidence” much-needed service redesign was improving.

It found 13 of the 20 national performance standards were not met in 2017-18, an increase on the previous year.

NHS Tayside will end the year with an expected deficit of £18.7 million.

Ms Gardner said: “NHS Tayside’s financial position has been unsustainable since 2013 and urgent action is needed to turn around the organisation.”

Of the £50.2m the health board has received in brokerage funds, £45.9m was not repaid.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman’s announcement that outstanding loans to NHS boards will be written off at the end of the year “reduces the pressure” on the board but “does not address the underlying financial problems”, Ms Gardner said.

Overall, Audit Scotland found the board “continued to experience significant cost pressures in 2017-18”, with spending rising to more than £900m and overspends being recorded for staffing costs, prescribing and ehealth.

The report added: “Despite a range of interventions, in June 2018 there was limited evidence that this situation had changed.”

With a new chief executive recently appointed – the third person to hold the post this year – Audit Scotland stressed: “It is important that the board puts in place a realistic action plan, accompanied by the capacity and resources required to deliver it, to address the issues it faces.”

Ms Gardner said: “Changing the ways services are delivered will be critical in reducing NHS Tayside’s operating model and comparatively high staff costs.

“However, to date there is limited evidence of this happening, increasing the need for effective leadership to drive home the board’s plans for change.”

Labour MSP Jenny Marra, convener of the Scottish Parliament’s public audit and post-legislative scrutiny committee, said: “It is clear there are still major issues that need to be looked at closely.

“It is very concerning to hear of further deterioration in performance standards, compounded by leadership challenges and poor financial management.

“Our committee will look closely at this report and the plans the board has to resolve these issues.”

“It is clear there are still major issues that need to be looked at closely. LABOUR MSP JENNY MARRA