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11 Jul 2012
It was announced today that the Scottish Futures Trust has generated savings in the Scottish public sector of more than £100 million.
This comes at a time when Edinburgh’s Sick Kids Hospital – which is now being funded by the SFT after an SNP U-turn – is facing delays of more than five years.
Scottish Conservative health spokesman and deputy leader Jackson Carlaw said:
“This announcement will be of no consolation to the children, parents and staff who are desperately awaiting a new paediatric hospital for the east of Scotland.
“The new Sick Kids was supposed to be open by the end of this year, but now the best estimate anyone can give is sometime in 2017.
“One of the main reasons behind this delay was the SNP’s decision not to fund the hospital with public money, as had been agreed originally, and instead pursue this funding route.
“As a result, the current Sick Kids Hospital in Sciennes – albeit much-loved – is functioning in a cramped environment which NHS Lothian itself admits is not fit for purpose.
“It is unacceptable that this will go on for at least five more years, and grandstanding announcements by the Scottish Government on behalf of the SFT will not make this any more bearable.”
The Scottish Futures Trust announcement is here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/07/SFT-savings11072012
