Scottish NHS reform 'urgently needed'

"Difficult decisions" may need to be made about whether some services can continue to be provided by the NHS in Scotland, a spending watchdog has warned.

A review by Audit Scotland said a clear plan was lacking - and that fundamental change in how NHS services are provided is "urgently needed" to cope with growing demand.

The annual report into the health sector found that, despite increased spending and staffing in the NHS, Scotland is seeing fewer patients than before the Covid-19 pandemic.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said the government did have a plan, which aimed to shift the focus towards preventative care.

He told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland: "The plan is to shift the balance of care from the secondary services where we're currently seeing extremely high demand in to more preventative primary care, so investing in GPs surgeries, pharmacies and optometrists to ensure people are treated earlier.

"We recognise that for too many people, they're waiting for too long and there needs to be fundamental reform of the way our health service is delivered."

The report highlighted that Scottish government commitments to reduce waiting lists and times have been missed and that delayed discharge figures are at their highest on record.

It added that NHS initiatives to improve productivity and patient outcomes have yet to have an impact, and they lack clear progress reporting.

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Source: BBC News, 3 December 2024