Tackling crisis in NHS funding

The STUC backed a call for urgent talks with the Scottish Government to address pressures on NHS funding and called for a fight to protect NHS jobs and services.

UNISON’s Catriona Beveridge said, “It is no surprise to us that a hospital cleaner is more valuable than a city banker. And our health service is worth more than any number of bankers”.

She outlined a number of cuts already in place in the NHS. The loss of 16 beds in Lanarkshire is just one of 120 proposals to reduce spending to avoid a £17million deficit. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has to claw back £60million next year and NHS Highland about £15million.

Catriona said, “Health inflation is higher than general inflation so the recent increases have been worse for health spending than in other areas”.

Outlining how UNISON’s no-cut recovery budget could raise £74 billion next year, Catriona said, “A lot of people are talking about cutting waste in the public services. I couldn’t agree more. So let’s stop throwing cash at management consultants. That would save another £2.8billion and of course the £76billion that could be saved on Trident”.

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