3.7% funding increase for health board

The Scottish Government will give £1093 billion of revenue funding to the health board.

While the rise will be a welcome boost to the health board, Edinburgh has long received far less money per head of population than other parts of the country, particularly Glasgow.

Since a change was made to the way funding is worked out for different parts of Scotland, the National Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) is working to ensure Lothian’s shortfall is gradually reduced, but there has been criticism in the past that the change isn’t happening quickly enough.

Susan Goldsmith, Director of Finance, NHS Lothian said: “We welcome the 3.7 per cent uplift in funding from the Scottish Government which includes £12.3 million towards the implementation of the NRAC guidelines.

“The funding, together with the savings we are planning, will be used to help us meet the demands placed on services by demographic changes such as increased numbers of children and older people.”