NHS Lothian: concerns of longer waiting times and reduced staff over £133m budget gap

NHS Lothian is facing the "tightest financial situation" in decades

Sweeping cuts are on the way for the region’s health services as NHS Lothian looks to close a £133m budget gap.

Dealing with the eye-watering shortfall would involve cutting “into the muscle” of the health service and lead to longer waiting lists, staff reductions, cancelled operations, less money for medicines, whilst making it even harder to see a GP, it was warned.

A meeting heard this week it was the “tightest financial situation” the organisation has faced in decades.

It comes after the Scottish Government announced a two-year freeze on any new capital funding for health boards, casting doubt over the future of Edinburgh’s replacement eye hospital and new cancer centre at the Western General, as well as plans for a new treatment centre at St John’s in Livingston — projects regarded as vital to cope with the region’s rapidly growing population.

Representing seven per cent of the overall budget, the projected £133m gap in 2024/25 is more than double the 3 per cent saving usually required by NHS Lothian, having increased following the Scottish Government’s budget announcement in December.

Health chiefs have warned measures set to be taken to balance the books would “cut into the muscle” and not be “small scale”.

But they said arriving at a balanced financial position was vital in order to be at the “front of the queue” when the government resumes spending on new hospitals and treatment centres.

Addressing board members on Wednesday (February 7) director of finance Craig Marriott said the gap “could continue to move up”.

He said a 0 per cent uplift in funding for NHS Lothian delivered by the government’s settlement would mean “no new money for drugs, no new money for demographic growth, no new money for additional procedures”.

He said: “We’ve not been in that position before where we’ve not had any uplift.”

He added the board was also expecting no additional funding for “small scale” projects such as desperately-needed GP practices.