NHS TAYSIDE made more than £7 million selling land to developers last year—nearly one sixth of all the money the NHS in Scotland received from selling its property during that period.

Although most of the money comes from the sale of land or buildings no longer suitable for use, the figure also includes money received for equipment such as computers.

The NHS in Scotland earned £43,020,000 by selling off its assets.

Most of the money came from the sale of land—as shown in Tayside where more than £5 million was raised by selling off land for housing at Royal Dundee Liff Hospital.

NHS Tayside finance director David Clark said, “Obviously the biggest component was from the sale of land at Liff and the other major element was the disposal of the Strathmartine Hospital site.

“There were other bits and pieces but those were the two main sales.”

Mr Clark said the disposal of such assets was only made when they had outlived their usefulness to the health service.

“Essentially, the Liff site was used for people with mental illness and Strathmartine was for people with learning difficulties,” he said.

“Increasingly, these services are provided in the community rather than in old Victorian institutions—that is the principal reason for disposal, modernisation.”

Mr Clark said that any money health boards made from selling land or buildings was used to benefit patients in that area.

“If we sell an asset then the funds go back into the pot and are reallocated.”

This year the largest asset NHS Tayside is expected to sell off is the former Hillside Hospital in Perth, which has been vacant since 1997.

Perth and Kinross councillors approved plans to transform the dilapidated building into a care home and flats late last year.

“There can be security costs that we incur with old buildings so it is in the public interest to try to dispose of them,” said Mr Clark.

Grampian NHS made £17,854,000 last year after selling off its assets.

Fife NHS sold just £32,000 worth of its property.

Health Minister Andy Kerr released the figures in response to a question tabled in the Scottish Parliament by SSP MSP Carolyn Leckie.