NHS board agrees to repay £2mfund

NHS Tayside is to refund money from its endowment fund which was used to cover general running costs.

The health board used more than £2million from its endowment fund – which is made up of donations from the public or bequests in wills – to cover running costs such as funding new technology, which could normally be funded from its core budget.

This was said to have happened when the board was faced with a funding deficit in 2013-14, with NHS Tayside forced to temporarily suspend its constitution to do so as the money was going to retrospectively fund projects already approved.

The revelations earlier

“Used more than £2m from its endowment fund”

this month prompted the resignation of NHS Tayside chairman, Professor John Connell, with the Greater Glasgow health board boss John Brown now installed in the job on an interim basis.

The issue was discussed at an extraordinary board meeting yesterday.

Board members agreed to a proposal presented by Mr Brown and NHS Tayside chief executive Malcolm Wright to repay the endowment money.

Mr Brown said: “The decision made by the Board today doesn’t pre-empt the findings of the formal inquiry into Tayside NHS endowment funds by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator.

“It does mean that we can move forward, start to rebuild confidence and ensure there are no distractions to continuing to do what we do best and that is making sure everyone in Tayside receives high-quality and effective care and treatment.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison welcomed the announcement.