£25,000 charity money used to send NHS Highland staff to America

The fund is made up of donations from the public and is managed by the Highland Health Board Endowment Fund.

Five staff members, including a doctor, nurse, therapist, service manager, and quality improvement lead will go to the Institute of Healthcare Improvement in Boston.

Highland MSP Edward Mountain: 'People would be horrified to know their donations would be used for training.'

The aim is to improve patient flow through hospital systems.

Highland MSP Edward Mountain said: 'I don't believe that the majority of people give money for training. They really give it for the benefit of the ward and the patients who are there. And I think they would be horrified to know that this would be used for training.

'I think they (NHS Highland) are stretching the definition of 'core expenditures' and I think it is a fine line and I don't think this is the right use of the endowment fund.

'NHS Highland has a high record of sending people overseas to do training, sometimes I question whether we could learn more from being at home than travelling around the world.'

The money from the Endowment fund should not be used to pay for a 'core NHS expenditure' and NHS Highland claim this trip is not core or statutory training.

NHS Highland: 'Charity Trustees felt it was an appropriate use of endowment money.'

Earlier this year NHS Tayside was heavily criticised and forced to repay money from their endowment fund used to buy IT equipment.

A spokesperson for NHS Highland said: 'The Trustees felt it was an appropriate use of endowment money as it is a research based innovation approach.

'The budget is £25k, final costs are not yet known as booking travel and accommodation is still being arranged.

'We have searched for the cheapest possible flights and accommodation to keep the costs as low as possible, whilst making sure that the venue is accessible and comfortable for the staff who will be away from home and working very hard whilst they are there.

'The Highland Health Board Endowment Fund is a registered Scottish Charity and all donations to it are held in trust until used.

'These monies are separate and from the money used to provide and run the day-to-day services of the NHS.'