Scottish halth buirds are spendin mair on private ambulance services as budgets tichten, accoont tae new figurs released by UNISON. Data shaws dat spendin by five NHS buirds rase fa £0.52 million in 2020/21 tae £1.34 million in 2024/25 – an increase o ower 150%. Fan figures fae three additional buirds wir added, da total spendin for 2024/25 raxed £2.6 million. Union representatives warn dat dis figure is likely tae be considerably heicher due tae non-reportin fae sax mair buirds.
UNISON Scotland’s jynt lead for Halth, Matt McLaughlin, expressed deep concern aboot da risin costs, statin, “Dese figurs should serve as a stark wake-up caa for da Scottish government. Dese costs are likely tae be juist da tip o da iceberg tae.” McLaughlin continued, “Cash-strapped halth buirds shouldnae be spendin siller dey can ill afford on privately owned ambulances. Insteid o wastin vast sums on dese firms an boostin da profits o deir sharehaaders, deir scarce funds wid be better invested intae a properly funded Scottish Ambulance Service.” In his statement, he urged Cabinet Secretary for Halth Neil Gray tae “pit an immediate eyn tae private sector ambulances an focus on investment in NHS services insteid.”
Da union’s concerns come as da Scottish Government annoonces an ambitious plan tae enhance NHS services. Halth Secretary Neil Gray unveiled da NHS Operational Improvement Plan, whit is set tae invest an additional £200 million durin da 2025-26 Budget. Accoonts tae da plan, da investment will create 150,000 extra appyntments an procedures designed tae reduce waitin times an develop a seven-day service in radiology. Mobile scannin units, increased recruitment, an a commitment dat 95% o referrals will be seen ithin sax weeks ower MRI, CT, ultrasound, an endoscopy procedures form pairt o dese measures.
Mairower, da government intends tae expand its Hospital at Hame initiative tae at least 2,000 beds by da eyn o 2026, a muive expected tae relieve pressure on acute hospitals. Staps tae enhance community care involve specialist frailty teams in ivery A&E department an da development o Flow Navigation Centres tae direct patients tae da appropriate services. Investment in primary care will furdder boost access tae doctors, dentists, optometrists, an community pharmacists. Additional fundin will support digital modernisation, wi da Digital Front Door app set for a national rowe-oot in 2026, follaein da initial laanch in Lanarkshire.
Da contrastin approaches pynt oot an ongaun debate ower da best uise o funds in Scotland’s halth system. While da government focuses on expandin an modernisin NHS services, UNISON argues dat redirectin funds awa frae private ambulance contracts tae wards a fully supported Scottish Ambulance Service wid address patient care challenges an staff burden in a mair sustainable wey.