Spending on sending patients for private treatment on the NHS has rocketed in Fife over the last two years, according to new figures.
More than £4 million was paid out last year, compared to just over £3m in 2010/11, to pay for patients who were referred to private or non-NHS hospitals outwith the health board area for consultation or treatment.
The information was part of a nationwide investigation using Freedom of Information requests.
Critics said it cast major doubts over claims made by First Minister Alex Salmond before the 2011 election that the Scottish Government has “eradicated the private sector from the NHS”.
The health service has been at the forefront of the independence debate over the last few days, with angry clashes taking place between Health Secretary Alex Neil and opposition MSPs in Holyrood earlier this week.
More than 12,800 patients were referred to private hospitals and clinics for treatment last year, compared with 2239 in 2011-12, a rise of 472%, the research suggested.
However, according to the information provided for Fife, the number of referrals dropped even though spending leapt up.
A spokeswoman for NHS Fife said this was because there could be a wide variety of patients receiving referred treatment.
Therefore, the figures include those undergoing very expensive medical procedures as well as those whose needs cost less.
“The problem with this analysis is that it groups together a day case costing £1,000 with a mental health placement costing £800,000 per annum and both costs are for one patient,” said the FOI response.
Scottish Labour health spokesman Neil Findlay accused the Yes campaign of scaremongering about the NHS in an attempt to swing the referendum result in their favour.
He said: “The SNP are guilty of the worst kind of scare stories on our NHS. The NHS are completely devolved to Scotland.
“It’s Alex Salmond and his government who are responsible for failings in our hospitals.
“Despite claiming he’d eradicate the private sector from the NHS, nearly five times as many patients are being referred to the private sector under this SNP Government.”
The highest spending health authority on private treatment last year was NHS Lothian, which racked up £10.3 million, compared with £3.1m in 2011/12.
The biggest rise in spending was in Grampian, which paid private facilities £3.1m to treat NHS patients last year, compared with 373,000 in 2011/12.
Forth Valley referred 1,545 referred patients last year, compared with 166 in 2011/12, while Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS referred 989 patients, compared with 191 three years ago.
Health Secretary Alex Neil said the money spent on private care represented 1% of the overall Scots NHS budget.
He added: “This involves using public money to treat patients free at the point of need unlike the moves towards wholesale privatisation and increased use of patient charging in the health service in England, which threaten the funding available for Scotland’s NHS.
“Only a Yes vote in the referendum will protect Scotland’s NHS from Tory-led Westminster cuts.”