First Minister John Swinney's plan to improve the NHS will help ensure lower waiting times and easier access to GP appointments for people in the Western Isles and across Scotland as a whole, according to MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Alasdair Allan.
The plan, outlined by the First Minister earlier this week, follows the SNP Scottish Government announcing record funding for the NHS in its budget last month – with funding for health and social care increased to £21 billion, with £106.8m for frontline services delivered by NHS Western Isles, an increase of £13.9m on last year’s figures.
The First Minister announced plans to put in place 150,000 more appointments and procedures, as well as a £10.5 million increase in funding for GPs and a pledge to invest a greater proportion of new NHS funding to primary and community care.
A new app will also be created for the NHS in Scotland under the plans, which the First Minister described as the “digital front door” to the health service.
Commenting, Alasdair Allan, said:
“The plans outlined by First Minister John Swinney, along with the significant increase in funding for our local health board, will, I hope, make a real difference to people in the Western Isles. We must ensure that people get the care they require in good time, and these plans will make it easier to get a GP appointment and cut waiting times for patients across Scotland.
“I know that timely access to healthcare is a key concern for constituents all across the Western Isles, and there is much work to be done in the decentralising of healthcare services as well as improving the patient travel experience when patients do have to travel for certain appointments. The ongoing work of the Scottish Government, HITRANS, CNES, NHS Western Isles and other key stakeholders is instrumental in delivering the required improvements.
“Improving patients’ experience of our NHS is vitally important to the Scottish Government, which is why we have announced record funding for the health and care frontline services of £21 billion in the Scottish Budget.
“Whilst the UK Labour Government has hit the NHS and care services with increases in National Insurance Contributions and continues to hint at increased privatisation in the NHS, the SNP is backing the NHS with record funding and a clear path for modernisation and renewal.”
Speech - https://www.gov.scot/publications/improving-public-services-and-nhs-renewal-first-ministers-speech/
