20 February 2009
By David Scott
Health boards in Scotland are to share ‘record’ funding of more than £8.64bn, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has announced.
The allocations, which followed the devolved Parliament’s approval of the Scottish Government’s budget for 2009/10, will include almost £385m for NHS capital projects such as buildings and equipment.
Sturgeon said the funding was part of a record programme of investment in NHS infrastructure. Most of the funding given to the 14 health boards and special boards, such as the Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24, is for revenue expenditure for the day-to-day running of the health service.
The allocations make up the bulk of NHS Scotland’s £11.09bn budget for 2009/10. The rest will support family health services – such as general practice and equipment – and provide specific funds to help the NHS achieve national targets.
Sturgeon said: ‘This record funding for NHS boards across Scotland underlines this government’s unshakeable commitment to our publicly owned health service.’
She added: ‘With around a third of the entire Scottish budget being spent by NHS Scotland, the health service has a vital role to play in helping our country through the tough times.’
Labour claimed the average 2.6% funding increase was the lowest for Scottish health boards since devolution.
Health spokesman Richard Simpson said: ‘It is a historically low allocation that will represent a real-terms cut for much of Scotland.’
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