NHS cash injection the perfect tonic says north MP Stone
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North MP Jamie Stone has welcomed the Scottish Government's decision to give NHS Highland an £18 million boost.
The bail-out from Holyrood came after NHS Highland had overspent its budget for 2018/19 by a whopping £17.9 million.
Millions were spent on drugs – especially within the oncology department at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness – as well as adult social care services, prescriptions and the rising cost of employing locums to man under-staffed surgeries.
NHS Highland was mentioned in an Audit Scotland report, released last year, which state that it faced "significant financial challenges".
However, the Scottish Government has intervened to ease the financial burden – a move welcomed by Liberal Democrat MP Mr Stone.
He said: "Hard-working NHS staff keep our health service chugging along day by day despite crippling cuts and under-resourcing.
"I have nothing but respect for the staff who actually deliver for NHS patients.
"They should not have to do this in the face of chronic underfunding.
"I am pleased that the Scottish Government is providing this money and the SNP needs to accept that rural areas like the Highlands face unique access and provision problems and adjust funding accordingly.
"No-one should face a postcode lottery when it comes to health care and emergency services and the SNP government must step up to ensure patients’ lives are not put at risk."
