In May, the NHS Lothian Local Mobilisation Plan (LMP) forecast additional costs of £149.8m associated with the COVID-19 response across the Board and four HSCPs (health and social care partnerships). Of this, £71m is anticipated in the four months to the end of July.
Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, Miles Briggs, said: “NHS Lothian was facing significant financial challenges before Covid-19 struck and now these financial challenges are even greater.
“SNP Ministers must ensure that health boards are properly funded to deliver essential health services during this public health crisis and have appropriate measures in place.
“The poor management of NHS Boards by consecutive SNP Health Secretaries has meant that NHS Scotland was not in as strong a position as we should have been to deal with this crisis.
“Waiting times for operations are going to be longer in all health boards and I do not have confidence that SNP Ministers will be able get on top of these long treatment waiting times.”
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