17.04.11
‘Unsustainable’ savings for Scottish health boards
Scottish health boards are aiming to save over £250m in 2012-13, yet this may be ‘unsustainable’, a health economist has suggested.
A survey conducted by Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee showed that the 22 NHS boards are planning to save £256.3m, with the 14 territorial boards to save £226.7m and the eight special health boards to save £29.6m between them.
Dr Andrew Walker, health economist at Glasgow University, has questioned the boards’ ability to achieve this level of savings.
In a report for MSPs he said: “Savings targets of 2%-3% have been the norm for boards in the recent past. While boards have achieved savings of around this level in the past, it is not clear how sustainable this is.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The health resource budget is protected. We will see a record £11.6bn resource funding for health in Scotland in 2014-15 – that's £826m more than in 2011-12. These figures are absolutely not cuts to the health budget. Boards are looking to make some services more efficient and any savings will be reinvested in local frontline care.
“Its right that boards make sure the taxpayer gets the best possible value for money. In addition to this direct funding to boards we are investing significant funding across a range of initiatives including the early detection of cancer and key projects such as the New South Glasgow Hospitals have been secured.
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