The Scottish Government needs to develop a clear national strategy for health and social care to address the pressures on services, auditors have said.
Significant changes are needed to ensure the financial sustainability of Scotland’s health service, according to the Auditor General, who publishes his report on Scotland’s NHS today.
Growing demand, operational challenges and increasing costs have added to the financial pressures the NHS was already facing.
Its longer-term affordability is at risk without reform, the report warns.
Activity in hospitals and other secondary care settings has increased in the last year, but it remains below pre-pandemic levels and is being outpaced by demand.
This pressure is creating operational challenges throughout the whole system and impacting staff, patient experience and patient safety.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Without change, there is a risk Scotland’s NHS will take up an ever-growing chunk of the Scottish budget. And that means less money for other vital public services.
“To deliver effective reform the Scottish Government needs to lead on the development of a clear national strategy for health and social care.
“It should include investment in measures that address the causes of ill-health, reducing long-term demand on the NHS.
“And it should put patients at the centre of future services.”
He added that there was a range of strategies, plans and policies in place for the future delivery of healthcare, but no overall vision.
“The absence of a shared national vision, and a clear strategy to deliver it, makes it more difficult for NHS boards to plan for change,” he warns.
The report is based on:
- The 2022/23 audited accounts and annual audit reports of NHS boards and supplementary returns provided by appointed auditors
- Analysis of NHS board accounts and Scottish Government budget documents
- Scottish Government strategies, plans and publications
- Activity and performance data published by Public Health Scotland, NHS Education for Scotland and other national boards
- Interviews with senior officials in the Scottish Government and NHS boards.
A PDF of the full report is here: nr_240222_NHS_Scotland_2023_em
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