Bigger Funds Boost For NHS Grampian

The historic underfunding'' of a health board will be addressed by an enhanced funding package that has increased by almost half, the Health Secretary has announced.

NHS Grampian will receive £49.1 million additional funding next year - £15.2 million more than originally planned, Shona Robison said.

The board now has the funds to address challenges identified in the last few months, such as shortages in accident and emergency departments, beds and staffing, she said.

Opposition parties said Ms Robison should apologise for the underfunding to date, insisting she deserves no plaudits for giving NHS Grampian what it is owed''.

The funding boost for 2015/16 is designed to ensure that all territorial health boards will receive uplifts next year which are at least 1% above the rate of inflation.

NHS Grampian will receive a 6% increase in their budget compared to last year - the largest overall annual increase of any mainland board.

Ms Robison visited Aberdeen Royal Infirmary A&E and Woodend Hospital, which is dedicated to the care of older patients, today.

She said: This government has addressed the historic problem of underfunding for NHS Grampian.

We have already protected and increased NHS Grampian's health resource budget, which has seen a rise of in the share of the health budget that NHS Grampian receives, from 9.1% to 9.7% since 2007.

However, we know that health boards are facing challenges with the increase in patients, with more complex illnesses and the rising cost of expensive new drugs.

With NHS Grampian now receiving a £49.1 million increase to its budget for next year, the health board will be well-placed to deliver both a sustainable service for patients in the north-east and the improvements in performance around waiting times that everyone wants to see.

Bringing the health board to within 1% of NRAC (National Resource Allocation Committee) parity a year earlier than planned will put the board on a firm footing to address many of the challenges identified over the last few months.

I am confident that with this significant increase in funding and under new leadership, NHS Grampian is now in a strong position to take forward the recommendations from the Healthcare Improvement Scotland report quickly and effectively.''

Labour's North East MSP Richard Baker said: SNP ministers seem reluctant to visit Aberdeen too much these days because of the oil crisis, but when Shona Robison does arrive here she should apologise to NHS Grampian patients.

For months, doctors and nurses in NHS Grampian have been warning of growing pressures on our health service.

The fact that so many patients were turned away by Aberdeen Royal Infirmary last week shows what a mess the NHS is in under the SNP.

It is unacceptable that thousands of patients in NHS Grampian have been let down by missed waiting-time targets. It's just not good enough.

Patients and health service staff in the North East have one simple question for SNP Scottish Government ministers - when will they fix the mess in NHS Grampian?

Patients, doctors and nurses know how bad the situation is and they are telling us that the NHS needs support now, not more dodgy spin from Scottish Government ministers.

Scottish Labour would use the money from the mansion tax to pay for 1,000 extra NHS nurses in Scotland, paid for by a mansion tax on homes worth more than £2 million across the UK.

That's millions of pounds raised in London and the South East of England being used to support patients in the North East of Scotland. That is what our health service needs.''

Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Alison McInnes said: Scottish Liberal Democrats are clear that the problems faced at NHS Grampian are linked fundamentally to the consistent underfunding of the local health service by the SNP Government.

The Health Secretary cannot run from that truth like her predecessor, she must openly face up to that today at the review meeting.

Whilst we welcome this funding announcement, many people will feel that the Scottish Government deserves no plaudits for giving NHS Grampian what it is owed.

If only they had done this sooner our hospitals might have been in a better position to avoid the crises we have seen with the A&E unit, beds and staffing.

The outcomes of this postponed review must be, therefore, backed by the support of the Scottish Government, who for too long have taken their eye off the ball.''