NHS – where has all the money gone?
That was the question posed by Channel 4’s Dispatches programme on Monday, focussing on the increase in spending on the NHS in England. Traditionally Scotland has spent more per head on health than England, but in both countries spending has increased significantly since Labour came to power. In England, as in Scotland, many hospitals are closing or threatened and despite waiting time and waiting list targets many people are not getting the treatment they need when they need it.
Earlier this week, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that on average it takes 94 weeks to get a hearing aid fitted in the Borders – the longest wait anywhere in the country, except in North East Scotland. Even in the Lothian Health Board area the wait is 38 weeks. This just isn’t acceptable.
What it shows though is that simply spending more money on the NHS doesn’t of itself sort all the problems – and it reinforces the questions many people have asked me – where has all the money gone?
