A dozen NHS construction projects across Scotland have been delayed or paused for up to two years due to budget constraints. Health boards were informed by the Scottish government that there is currently no money available for building schemes. The delay comes as a result of addressing essential maintenance issues being given priority. The Scottish government has stated that a revised NHS infrastructure plan will be unveiled in the spring. At least 40,000 additional elective surgeries, diagnostics and other procedures are intended to be delivered through a network of 10 treatment centres across Scotland per year by 2026.
The revised plan comes as the latest Scottish budget faced an estimated shortfall of £1.5bn in funding. Due to soaring construction costs and material shortages coupled with the condition of the health buildings, numerous projects have faced delays in recent years. This delay puts pressure on the already growing waiting lists for a range of treatments on the NHS, amidst warnings that staffing levels are “dangerously low.” NHS boards have reportedly been informed by Scottish government officials that two years of building work on new projects could be paused due to the spending squeeze.
One project facing delays is a refurbishment of the maternity ward at Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. This revamp is part of a bigger project to build new hospitals, surgeries and a network of treatment centres in Scotland. Speaking on these treatment centres, Health Secretary Neil Gray said they were part of his “overriding mission” to increase NHS Scotland’s capacity. Elsewhere, in Kincardine, Fife, delays have impacted plans to build a replacement health centre in a nearby park. Construction of the new medical centre is now on hold, and the money for the project is unlikely to be made available until 2026 at the earliest.
BMA Scotland Chair, Dr Iain Kennedy, voiced his concern at the delays for the many hospitals that are “getting a bit crumbly.” He warned that waiting lists were likely to get longer and that radical reform is needed for the healthcare system to remain sustainable in the future. However, he acknowledged that the Scottish health service should still be “free at the point of delivery.” The Scottish government stated that the capital funding position is “extremely challenging.” As a result of the cut in the capital budget, a revised infrastructure investment plan will be published in the spring, which will give due consideration to what projects can feasibly be included
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