Extra NHS funding 'not matched by performance'

Extra funding for Scotland's NHS has not yet translated into a significant increase in delivery for patients, a leading think tank has said.

A budget revision published last week week showed an extra £618m had been put towards the health service, meaning £1.5bn has been added this year alone.

That came days after First Minister John Swinney announced plans to deliver an extra 150,000 appointments and procedures over the coming year.

But David Phillips of the Institute for Fiscal Studies told BBC Scotland's Sunday Show that outputs have not matched the amount of funding going in so far.

He said: "Right across the UK, but particularly in Scotland and to some extent in Wales, we've seen the NHS struggle to return its productivity to pre-Covid levels.

"The amount of inputs, the number of doctors and nurses, the amount of money has gone up by much more than the number of appointments and people treated.

"Really, that is the big question in the NHS - how can we translate the money and staff into what it needs to deliver? What is the hold-up there?"

The Scottish government said it was "determined to drive improvements, reduce waiting lists and tackle delayed discharge – all of which will improve the flow of patients through hospital and ease pressures on A&E".

Last week, John Swinney pledged his government would bring down NHS waiting lists and make it easier to get GP appointments.

The SNP leader announced measures he said would put the health service "on a path of modernisation and renewal".

Opposition leaders accused the SNP of mismanaging the NHS, which has seen record waiting times and delayed discharge figures in recent months.

Medical unions welcomed parts of the announcement, but said it lacked detail.

The first minister said the health service would carry out an extra 150,000 appointments and procedures in the coming year.

That is to include 10,000 through "smarter working" at national treatment centres.

Swinney said hospitals would also do an extra 9,500 cataract procedures, as well as 2,500 extra orthopaedic appointments and procedures, such as hip or knee replacements.

He also pledged £10.5m to improve GP capacity and "intervene earlier" in preventing illness.

But David Phillips said, even with above-inflation investment, there were no significant signs of an improvement in performance in the NHS in Scotland.

He said: "The estimates are, to keep pace with the rising costs of pay, the ageing population and so on, you need to increase the funding for the NHS by about 3% a year above inflation.

"The initial plan from the Scottish government was to cut it by 3% - that would certainly have led to a deterioration in performance.

"But actually we've now seen an increase of about 5% above inflation, so you would hope that would start to turn things around and see an improvement in performance and bring waiting lists down.

"Looking at the data, the figures really aren't that promising at the moment.

"And I think that is putting pressure on the Scottish government, as with governments across the UK.

"You are putting the money in now but where is the improvement in performance."

A Scottish government spokesperson said: "With cross-party support now agreed, our Budget will provide £200m to address backlogs, improve capacity and remove blockages that keep patients in hospital longer than necessary – ensuring we can deliver the best possible service for patients.

"A commitment to these improvements was set out by the first minister last week in the renewal plan for health and social care.

"The Scottish Government Public Audit Committee and Auditor General for Scotland through their independent roles ensure that there is accountability for use of public funds and for delivery against key performance targets."