NHS Scotland backlog maintenance figure reaches £898m
NHS Scotland buildings require nearly £1 billion of maintenance and more than two-fifths of repairs are deemed high-risk or significant, an NHS review has found.
NHS Scotland buildings require nearly £1 billion of maintenance and more than two-fifths of repairs are deemed high-risk or significant, an NHS review has found.
Backlog maintenance rose by over a tenth to £898 million between 2014 and 2015, NHS Scotland's annual state of assets and facilities (SAFR) report reveals.
The proportion of repairs deemed high-risk or significant was 44% - down from 47% the previous year.
The Scottish Government aims to eliminate high-risk maintenance issues by 2020 and has pledged to invest £1.1 billion in major NHS projects and programmes over the next four years.
The report states: "NHS Scotland has been able to successfully reduce the backlog maintenance expenditure requirement identified in 2011 by £355 million to a total of £655 million by 2015.
"However, the total backlog expenditure requirement reported by boards in 2015 is £898 million, which takes account of the impact of inflation on maintenance costs as well as additional newly-identified backlog over the same period."
It added: "The proportion of significant and high-risk backlog maintenance has reduced from 47% reported in 2014 to 44% reported this year.
"This is mainly attributable to high-risk reducing from 12% to 9%.
"This suggests that NHS boards' investment and disposal strategies are aligned with the need to reduce these aspects of backlog maintenance.
"Although backlog is identified as an expenditure requirement, in practice it is likely to be addressed by a combination of:
"Estate rationalisation and disposal of older properties, avoiding the need for expenditure on backlog.
"Replacing older properties with new facilities and avoiding the need for expenditure on backlog, for example the estate rationalisation to follow the completion of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow and further estate rationalisation once the new hospital replacement projects are completed in Dumfries and Orkney.
"Incorporating backlog works within major redevelopment, modernisation and refurbishment projects, for example improvements to inpatient accommodation at Aberdeen Royal Hospital, Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Ayrshire Central Hospital.
"Undertaking specific projects to target the high and significant backlog.
"Incorporating backlog work within operational repair and cyclical maintenance.
"These strategies have been used to reduce the backlog maintenance expenditure requirement since a total figure of £1,010 million was first reported in the 2011 SAFR."
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: "Over the past five years we have invested around £1 billion to deliver two of the largest acute hospitals ever built in Scotland.
"This along with work under way in Dumfries and Edinburgh is transforming the way healthcare is delivered in Scotland while also ensuring we provide the facilities and the capacity needed in our NHS for the future.
"Other initiatives highlighted in this report include the £200 million network of new elective treatment centres being planned across Scotland which will enable people to be treated more quickly for planned surgery while easing the pressure off unplanned and emergency treatment.
"Investment in infrastructure will also help us make best use of the NHS's finite resources - reducing the cost of maintaining older and less suitable buildings.
"This report shows that health boards also remain focused on ensuring that their existing estate and facilities deliver value for money, are safe, and fit for purpose.
"This is highlighted in the report through the improved condition, functionality and utilisation of the NHS estate over the past 12 months."
Labour health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: "The SNP have allowed our NHS to fall into disrepair with a near billion-pound bill to fix the problems with our hospitals and our medical equipment.
"Our NHS is Scotland's most-valued public service. Scots will be horrified to see these costs increase at a time when the SNP won't give our health service the resources it needs. NHS staff do amazing, life-saving work and they deserve the best possible resources.
"SNP health minister Shona Robison has been facing calls from NHS staff to stop underfunding our most vital public service.
"Now, today, we learn of the growing repair bill for the facilities these staff work tirelessly in.
"Patients and staff deserve better. Scottish Labour will continue to press for our NHS to get the resources it needs."