NHS Grampian warned over finances by Audit Scotland
NHS Grampian's been warned it'll need a significant redesign of its health and social care system - before it can possibly balance the books.
Audit Scotland's been looking at the health board, which is expecting to overspend by £68m this year. It received £65.2m in 2024-25.
In May, the health board was escalated to stage four of NHS Scotland's support and intervention framework due to concerns about financial sustainability, leadership and governance, and service performance.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said "Effective leadership and close working with the Scottish Government and other partners will be vital to improving NHS Grampian's financial sustainability and the delivery of services."
Chief exec "welcomes opportunity for learning"
Laura Skaife-Knight, NHS Grampian chief executive, said: "Section 22 reports are a constructive way to reflect on our challenges and identify where we need to improve. I welcome this opportunity for learning, alongside all other means of support the organisation is receiving to see the improvements that are necessary for our patients, community, and staff, and we will fully engage with the parliamentary review process.
"Our focus remains delivering the improvements we have committed to, including those related to leadership, governance, the timeliness of planned and emergency care for our patients, and our financial performance.
"We've already begun a programme of improvement, shaped further by the recently published KPMG diagnostic report and other external input, including learning from other health boards.
"We're developing an improvement plan in close collaboration with our staff and partners, building on work already under way recognising this is how we will meet the challenges we face and that lie ahead.
Improvement plan to go before board meeting
"This improvement plan will come to our public board meeting in December 2025 for approval, for transparency, and regular progress updates will be shared with our community, partners and staff.
"The continued commitment of our staff to delivering safe and compassionate care to the communities we serve across Grampian is deeply valued and remains at the heart of everything we do, for which I would like to thank them."
"The report provides a valuable opportunity to reflect and improve. We welcome this support and are fully committed to the parliamentary review process.
The Scottish Government have been approached for comment.