Isles bed-blocking crisis

The bed-blocking crisis in the Western Isles and across Scotland is the direct consequence of spending decisions made by the SNP-run Scottish Government in Edinburgh, according to isles Labour candidate Alasdair Morrison.

Over 40% of beds in the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway were occupied by people waiting for care in the community over the winter months.

NHS Western Isles previously warned of “serious disruption” to admissions and the running of the hospital.

Morrison slams SNP over Isles bed-blocking crisis

27 April 2015

Mr Morrison said: “We have the incredible situation where the SNP, for their own reasons and in pursuit of their own priorities, have underspent on the NHS and social care, even compared to the Coalition government in the rest of the UK.

“Instead of prioritising the NHS, they have actually cut spending in real terms by one per cent since 2009 while it has risen in England by four per cent. The excellent people who work in the NHS are now living with the consequences of that action.”

Mr Morrison said that, under the Barnett Formula, every spending decision in Whitehall results in a proportional allocation to Scotland though it is up to the Scottish Government to decide how to spend it.

He added: “It is therefore a decision entirely made-in-Edinburgh to allocate less of this money to the NHS and social care in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. We are entitled to an explanation of what they regard as a higher priority than the NHS.”

Mr Morrison criticised the local MSP and MP for having “absolutely nothing to say about the bed-blocking crisis and other symptoms of the pressures our NHS is operating under in the Western Isles.”

He added: ‘Their only response is to hide and hope nobody calls them to account but there is an opportunity to do so on May 7.