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1. Money
In October 2022 the Scottish Govt allocated £528m specifically for Health & Social Care and specifically to be spent for winter preparation
This is equivalent to over £5b in England.
In October 2022 the Scottish Govt allocated £528m specifically for Health & Social Care and specifically to be spent for winter preparation
This is equivalent to over £5b in England.
Meanwhile, the U.K. govt committed to £200m (the equivalent of £20m in Scotland) for Social Care only. No additional winter fund for the NHS.
Scotland provided more to recruit paramedics and ambulance staff (£40m) than the U.K. govt did to the entire NHS in England.
Plus
▪️£120m (England equivalent £1.2b) to enhance care homes
▪️£144m (equiv. £1.4b) to expand care at home.
Plus
▪️£120m (England equivalent £1.2b) to enhance care homes
▪️£144m (equiv. £1.4b) to expand care at home.
This was on top of £200m just to increase the hourly rate of adult care workers in Scotland
▪️£8m to recruit nurses from overseas for the winter
▪️130 additional doctor training posts
▪️overtime allowance for final year GP trainees to work out of hours
▪️£8m to recruit nurses from overseas for the winter
▪️130 additional doctor training posts
▪️overtime allowance for final year GP trainees to work out of hours
▪️£50m just for urgent care…that is the equivalent of £500m for more A&E and acute medical staff in England just for the winter months!!! These are the folks that treat heart attacks, strokes, sepsis, broken bones,…
Meanwhile the U.K. govt are putting £15b into diagnostic centres (many private) and only deal with uncomplicated simple conditions, not sepsis, strokes, heart attacks !
And £250m for 900 beds by April 2024!
That’s it.
And £250m for 900 beds by April 2024!
That’s it.
But perhaps one of the most impactful things the Scottish govt did was to reduce the harm caused by 13 yrs of Tory austerity by focusing on the cost of living crisis:
▪️£3b to support people hit hardest…that is equivalent to £30bn in England.
▪️£3b to support people hit hardest…that is equivalent to £30bn in England.
▪️a rent freeze over the winter until March 2023
▪️a no eviction law over the winter - people could not be evicted if they couldn’t afford rent
▪️extra support to disabled children, vulnerable, free school meals
This stuff keeps people alive and out of hospital!!
▪️a no eviction law over the winter - people could not be evicted if they couldn’t afford rent
▪️extra support to disabled children, vulnerable, free school meals
This stuff keeps people alive and out of hospital!!
Also an extra £124m to provide hospital care at home and prevent hospital admissions. Imagine getting an extra £1.2b in England to expand hospital at home!!!
2. Priorities
The key is not just how much money is invested but where it is invested.
Look at U.K. govt, investing in expanding private care - which during winter makes even less sense.
Scotland invested in urgent care, ambulances, expanding care at home, actually doing…
The key is not just how much money is invested but where it is invested.
Look at U.K. govt, investing in expanding private care - which during winter makes even less sense.
Scotland invested in urgent care, ambulances, expanding care at home, actually doing…
Something substantial to recruit and retain staff, and actually giving the NHS money to pay overtime to existing staff so we can actually take on more activity.
These are the actions of a govt trying to save the NHS and patients versus trying to enhance private care.
These are the actions of a govt trying to save the NHS and patients versus trying to enhance private care.
Don’t get me wrong, Scotland are not doing well. We are not a national healthcare system to aspire to. Austerity has hit us hard and we are still a decade behind leading healthcare countries…
But we did enough last winter so that so many people didn’t need to die unnecessarily
But we did enough last winter so that so many people didn’t need to die unnecessarily
The U.K. govt know this. All of this. Sunak, Hunt, Barclay all know that their refusal to fund the NHS properly through the winter will lead to people dying or suffering disability due to delayed treatment. They know this.
For me this truly despicable!
For me this truly despicable!
And the kicker!!!…
It’s not they aren’t spending our money and not spending tons of it…it’s just they’re spending it on themselves and their donors and not on this very real and very devastating winter crisis
It’s their choice to do so. But our choice whether we support them!
It’s not they aren’t spending our money and not spending tons of it…it’s just they’re spending it on themselves and their donors and not on this very real and very devastating winter crisis
It’s their choice to do so. But our choice whether we support them!
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