An Audit Scotland report on NHS financial performance has highlighted the growing signs of pressure on the NHS across Scotland and in Fife. The report reveals that NHS Fife are still receiving less than their target funding despite the new formula being introduce four years ago. 

Whilst the NHS across Scotland has managed it finances for 2012/13 there still needs to be more focused placed on long-term financial planning and sustainability to meet with increasing demands. Audit Scotland highlighted that the demands on healthcare are rising and that the signs of pressure on the NHS are apparent.

This report confirms what we have suspected all along, the NHS in Fife is facing pressures financially due to cuts coming from the Scottish Government and as a result there is a failure to commit to long term planning.

These pressures are being felt right across thh NHS in Fife and coupled with cuts to the training budget for nurses there are real fears that this double whammy will result in the NHS in Fife struggling to meet any rising demand due to an ageing population.

Fife deserves its fair share of funding for the NHS but the report highlights that Fife continues to receive less than the amount that it should be getting with no timescale for when it will receive the money it’s rightly due from the NRAC formula.

The report highlights the fact that NHS Fife needed to agree a deal for extra money just to break even but that this money will have to be paid back. This is an additional financial risk added to Fife’s budget and raises real concerns that going forward the priority will be less on patient care and improving services and more on paying the Government back.

This raises great concerns that the NHS Fife will not be able to fully commit to long term planning. The Scottish Government must now commit to giving the National Health Service in Fife the budget it deserves. Until it does it will be the people of Fife that suffer.