The SNP government is threatening local NHS services with the axe as the pressure on the health service reaches breaking point, Kezia Dugdale said today.
New figures obtained by Scottish Labour through freedom of information requests revealed the number of working days lost to the NHS because of staff stress increased by 21% in the last two years to more than 287,000.
Earlier this week the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) warned of a deepening GP crisis under the SNP Government, saying that “there has been a further reduction and an ever increasing gap between funding for general practice and that for other areas of healthcare.”
When challenged on cuts to local services at First Minister’s Questions, Nicola Sturgeon refused to give any guarantees about the following:
- The future of Lightburn Hospital in Glasgow
- The future of the children’s ward at St John’s Hospital in Livingston
- The future of emergency care at the Vale of Leven Hospital
- The future of the children’s ward at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley
- Staffing numbers at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
A recent NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde leaked paper revealed plans for £60 million of budget cuts because of reduced funding from the SNP Government.
Earlier this week emails uncovered by Labour MSP Neil Findlay revealed that the SNP Health Minister Shona Robison tried to pressure NHS Lothians officials into delaying a decision on the future of the children’s ward at St John’s Hospital until after the Scottish Parliament election in May.
Kezia Dugdale said:
“The dedicated staff who work in our health service help to bring us into this world and they care for us in our time of need. The delivery of NHS services depends on having motivated and well-supported staff, but this week the scale of the pressure on our NHS because of SNP cuts and mismanagement was exposed.
The fact that the NHS lost more than 287,000 working days because of staff stress reveals the pressure our health service is under. Our NHS is at breaking point and under pressure staff are crying out for help.
Today Nicola Sturgeon could have guaranteed NHS staff and patients that vital local services would be protected, but she didn’t. The SNP say they will protect our NHS but the reality is they are threatening local services with the axe.”
Oh dear.
Dugdale was a bag-carrier for Foulkes and Murphy. They sailed into the setting sun, on the Red Herring fishing boat.
It eventually sank, and all the crew paid off.
She appears to have learned nothing from the experience—its still Red Herrings, waffle and uncosted bluster.
She got blown out of the water by Dreadnought Sturgeon.
the crisis appears to be an increase in funding for GPs (just not as big as other areas) which means we still have more GPs per 1000 people in Scotland than any other area of the UK by some margin (0,95 -0.8)
Since our better together palls promised the NHS would be safe under the UK, meaning we are lumbered with a Tory government due to the ineptitude of Labour in opposition (both sides of the border) meaning we are wide open to further cuts in the Scottish budget……what did Labour really expect?
Since the Nuffield report has shown that Scotland has reduced a significant gap between NHS Scotland and NHS England under the Labour administration up to 2008…….to the point where England are only marginally better in some areas and the Scottish NHS exceeds their english counterparts in others…..they’ve don a great job in the face of Labour mismanagement and Tory cuts…..
Update:
Royal College of Emergency Practitioners…..
The UK has the best performing A&E in the World……
and Scotland has the best performing A&E in the UK
NHS Scotland A&E – officially World Beaters – thanks to the SNP!
“When challenged on cuts to local services on First Minsters question time, Nicola Sturgeon” promptly ripped Kezia Dugdale and Scottish labour a new earse.
That was quite a drubbing Nicola handed labour yesterday, not unexpected.
FMQ`s is turning into a weekly blood sport….
The DEPRAVITY are thinking of intervening….
Spellchecker is irritating.
RSPCA are thinking of intervening
Unfortunately their is no level labour won’t stoop to when using the NHS as a political football against the Scottish government.
Thank god their general capability is pish and our First Minster just stamps them out like the bugs they are.
It’s still a shame the NHS and it’s staff has to be misused like this.
Their terrific performance should be applauded by all parties…noit just the SNP