PRESS RELEASE

February 11th, 2009

Health services face squeeze, according to MSP

Greenock and Inverclyde MSP Duncan McNeil has raised concerns over the squeeze in the budget for the area’s health services.

The Scottish Government has allocated the NHS in Scotland a budget increase of just 2.6 per cent, the lowest rise since 1999 and devolution.

For NHS Greater Glasgow, which runs Inverclyde’s hospital and other health services, it received just a 1.9 per cent increase, the lowest in Scotland.

Mr McNeil has pointed to the rising costs of drugs and new pay deals aswell as recently-introduced employment laws on staff working hours as areas that will strain the tight budget.

And he fears frontline services and jobs will suffer as a result of the lack of funding.

The MSP said: “This historically low allocation that will represent a real terms cut for much of our services.

"The Auditor General has already identified this settlement as creating ‘considerable challenges’ for the NHS but the government has failed to heed that warning.

“My fear is that it will mean the health board is forced to cut staff numbers and find savings from frontline services.

“I will be pressing for assurances for the people of Inverclyde that their level of healthcare won’t be impacted by this budget.”

ENDS