12 MARCH 2010
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
MURRAY: SNP LET NHS FALL BEHIND ENGLAND

Dumfries MSP Elaine Murray has condemned the SNP for giving Dumfries & Galloway Health Board a below inflation spending increase.

At just 2.55%, next year's historically low allocation will put pressure on both staff and services.

Elaine Murray warned that the SNP Government is allowing the NHS in Scotland to fall behind the rest of the UK. In England, the NHS has received a significantly higher overall increase of 4 per cent.

Elaine Murray MSP said: "The SNP have announced a below inflation increase for Dumfries and Galloway Health Board that is significantly lower than the rest of the UK. It is a historically low allocation that will represent a real terms cut for much of Scotland.

"The SNP's poor funding settlement will create real challenges for the NHS and leaves us falling behind England. It will mean that Health Boards are forced to cut staff numbers and find savings from frontline services.

"Dumfries and Galloway is particularly badly affected as the SNP removed the additional Arbuthnott funding that benefited rural areas like ours. This will remove some £12m per annum from our health board’s budget when fully introduced. This additional funding was provided by Labour’s Executive and recognised that health services are more expensive to provide in rural areas than cities, but the SNP disregarded this. The SNP’s raid on our health budget show they simply don’t care about our region.

"SNP ministers are failing to pass on the 4 per cent overall increase that the UK Government is delivering for the NHS in England, with our region taking an unfairly large hit. The SNP should tell us why she believes health is less of a priority in Dumfries and Galloway than in England."

ENDS

CONTACT – ANDREW MACKENZIE 07769206856

NOTES TO EDITOR

Revenue allocation for NHS Dumfries and Galloway:

Initial allocation 2010-11: £238.3m

Uplift 2010-11: 2.55%