HEALTH CENTRES AND GP PRACTICES will be boosted by an additional £500million investment before the end of the current Scottish Parliament.
In a pledge made by the First Minister at the close of her party’s conference on Saturday, the increase in primary care investment will answer the investment level that doctors have demanded.
At the same the Nicola Sturgeon said that the Scottish Government commitment to increase overall health spending by nearly £2billion by the of parliament will be met – providing £500million more than required to keep pace with inflation.
“Over this parliament, we will increase health spending by almost £2 billion. That’s a necessary commitment but it is not sufficient,” the First Minister told the SNP party faithful in Glasgow.
She added: “To make our NHS fit for the future we must reform as well as invest. That will involve tough decisions – but the challenge of an ageing population demands it. It’s why this government has integrated health and social care.
“And it’s why we are expanding standalone elective capacity through five new treatment centres. But we must go further. The NHS of the future must be built on a real shift from acute care to primary and community care.”
Ms Sturgeon added that the commitment she was announcing was “a landmark one”, increasing spending on primary care services to 11% of the frontline NHS budget.
She said: “Let me be clear what that means. By 2021, an extra half billion pounds will be invested in our GP practices and health centres.
“And it means, for the first time ever, that half of the health budget will be spent, not in acute hospitals, but in the community – delivering primary, community and social care.
“Building an NHS that delivers today and for generations to come – that is what this government is determined to do.”
Moray Life 2017 – thank you for supporting insideMoray’s bid to continue providing its Community News service in 2017 – we reached our main target, but we have our limited edition of 300 calendars featuring stunning Moray images from our readers. Over half of these are already claimed through £10 pledges – claim yours now. visit our Crowdfunding Page for details.