NHS Fife has a devastating shortage of consultants, according to a new report which reveals the health board is being short changed by the Scottish Government.
Politicians claimed patients in Tayside are receiving worse care due to a staffing “crisis” after the country’s auditor general showed the region has the highest staffing turnover of any mainland health board and spends more than anywhere else on expensive agency workers.
An Audit Scotland dossier also ruled that local boards are struggling to balance demand for hospital care with investing in community services, noting that seven out of eight key performance targets were missed nationally last year.
Anas Sarwar, Labour’s health spokesman, said: “On the one hand Tayside has got financial issues because of the cuts it has to take and the budget imposed by the Scottish Government.
“But it is not efficiently using the money it has got for its workforce because it is spending so much on agency staff. Both go hand in glove.
“If we sort out the workforce crisis then that in itself will save money. If you fail to recruit it is a staffing problem but it does impact on patient care. You are failing to meet standards and letting down patients.”
Meanwhile, the report also revealed that negotiations are still ongoing with the Scottish Government to pay back £20 million worth of loans NHS Tayside has taken to balance its budget.
It went on to highlight 12.6% of unfilled consultant positions in Fife and a budget shortfall of £1.1 million because a funding formula devised by ministers has not yet reached its target level.
Auditors also expressed concern about how health and social care integration is being managed in the Kingdom.
Paul Hawkins, NHS Fife chief executive, said the health board has been filling vacant positions, particularly in fields such as urology and anaesthetic consultancy.
He added: “Whilst we have made significant progress, in areas where vacancies remain we are working with other boards in South East Scotland to create networks of support that transcend health board boundaries, ensuring our patients continue to receive the best possible standard of care irrespective of where they stay.”
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said: “We would like to assure communities in Tayside that we have already taken decisive actions to ensure our health services continue to be safe and sustainable and respond to the needs of our communities and that NHS Tayside returns to financial balance in the coming years.”
She added the health board “continues to have conversations” with the Scottish Government about when it will pay back the money it owes.
Auditor General Caroline Gardner demanded “a clear and detailed plan for change” after detailing “unprecedented” savings of almost £500 million which health boards will have to find.
Despite a 2.7% rise in real terms from the previous year, Audit Scotland found health service funding is not keeping up with growing demand and the needs of an ageing population.
Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Under this government there have been significant improvements in the performance of the NHS, the safety of patients, overall life expectancy and survival rates for conditions such as heart disease, supported by a real terms increase in spending on our NHS.
“As this report confirms, the health budget stands at its highest ever level, with close to £13 billion being spent in 2016/17.
“We have also committed to increase the NHS revenue budget by £500 million above inflation over the course of this parliament – which means that it will rise by almost £2 billion in total.”
She added: ““In 2016 17, NHS Fife’s resource budget has increased by 5.1% to £604.3 million – an above inflation increase, having previously increased by 3.1% in 2015 16.
“NHS Fife’s resource budget has increased by 10.2% in real terms between 2010 11 and 2016 17, and we will continue to provide real terms protection.”
