NHS Scotland maintenance costs only increase by inflation but Herald platforms Scottish Tory sums failure

Nice but dim? Who me? I have a C in GCSE maths, y’now

In the Herald today:

THE costs of fixing crumbling hospitals in Scotland’s NHS has soared by over £200m in the space of just five years leaving some of Scotland’s busiest hospitals in a ‘high-risk’ state, it can be revealed. Calls are being made for better funding of the service as the cost of fixing the NHS estate has risen by 25%  – despite an SNP government plan to drastically cut 

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23050674.costs-fixing-crumbling-nhs-hospitals-scotland-soars-200m—despite-snp-plan-cut-backlog/

I know Martin Williams is probably not as dim as what follows is going to suggest. No, he is a liar in a tragic effort to keep a job in corporate journalism.

First, note the use of the term ‘SNP’ to refer to Scottish Government actions. Would a Labour or Conservative ‘Government’ get the same lack of respect and attempt to damage?

Second, ‘Calls are being made?’ By whom. You know. It’s just Shadowy Health Secretary, Sandesh Gulhane MSP (Con), again. Any other calls? Nope, just him.

Third, ‘soaring?’ From what to what? By £200 million from £877 million in 2016 to £1.1 billion in 2022.

Ooh!

But wait, what about inflation Martin, Sandesh? You know, the unavoidable increases in all costs due to what is happening in the wider economy, controlled by Sandy’s bosses, ‘The Tories’ at Westminster?

Let’s see what the Bank of England’s inflation calculator says?

So, £887 million in 2016 has become….wait for it…..£1.085 billion in 2022….rounded to £1.1 billion!

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/monetary-policy/inflation/inflation-calculator

The soaring cost of NHS Scotland’s maintenance backlog is due to…..wait for it…..entirely to….the Tories!

11 thoughts on “NHS Scotland maintenance costs only increase by inflation but Herald platforms Scottish Tory sums failure”

  1. I’ve a some great ideas for cutting UK govt spending –
    1) scrap the Scottish and Welsh departments, get rid of their staff and ministerial posts and sell off their offices. Devolved governments identify a spokesperson to liaise with Westminster
    2) close all bars and remove subsidies from Westminster catering
    3) scrap the HoL
    4) book student hall type accommodation for MPs in London
    Once I’ve added up these savings I’ll look for others but feel free to add to the list

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  2. Do you think the raising of this issue now has anything to do with this story that appeared in the Guardian last week?
    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2022/oct/13/cost-eradicating-nhs-england-repairs-backlog

    As a counterpoint to repairs how about new build/ repurposing of hospitals during SNP’s time in office For example:
    New Victoria Hosp, new Stobhill Hosp
    Former Falkirk Royal Infirmary repurposed as a Community Hosp
    Former Stirling Royal Inf now Stirling Health and Care Village
    New build Community Hospitals:
    THE Balfour, Kirkwall. Project won a Silver medal in an international competition
    East Lothian Hospital, Haddington
    Broadford, Skye and Aviemore both opened May this year
    Baird Family Centre & Anchor Centre at Foresterhill Health Campus Aberdeen.
    Major Hospitals:
    Forth Valley Royal Infirmary. Contract signed by Labour 2007 but built under SNP Gov. Recently had 2 new operating theatres and supporting wards built bringing number of operating theatres from 14 to 16.
    Dumfries & Galloway General Hosp
    New Edinburgh Sick Kids
    And not forgetting the granddaddy of them all QUEH completed 6 weeks early and on budget.

    Fell free to add any I have missed.

    How many new hospitals was Boris going to build? How many are under construction? Remind me.

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    1. How often have you seen on social media that the QE was completed early and on budget? I don’t remember EVER seeing that. But I am well aware of all the complaints unionists have stacked up against it. Kind of like the Queensferry Crossing – nitpicking just for the hell of it.

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  3. That photo of Gulhane checking his hair-gel is priceless.

    You could add the “busiest hospitals in a ‘high-risk’ state” to the ridiculous list.

    I would similarly observe that it’s another Tory diversionary creation facilitated by Mr Williams, the hyperbole is similar to Disaster Gulhane’s previous adventures in desperately trying to be taken seriously, even if the only “crumbling” in “hospitals in Scotland’s NHS” he would have observed was from his croissant during visiting hours.

    There are a huge range of facilities which go onto forward maintenance scheduling, everything from “will never happen but we’ll stick it on our wish list” to equipment replacement and full repaints, regularly reprioritised with the higher priority ones funded as budgets permit.

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  4. So the hospitals that were built under a Labour/Tory administration are falling down, or to be less dramatic, in a bad state and in need of repair. I don’t suppose they were built to last, surprised they were built at all.

    The unionists’ legacy in Scotland is becoming all too apparent. I would advise the Scottish MP’s and MSP’s to start talking about the Labour UK legacy in Scotland and the damage in neglecting Scotland’s infrastructure, housing and public services for a very many decades, well, it goes back to the act of union really.

    O/T, but on a positive note, this is really interesting. Not sure where the company is based, Glasgow?

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      1. Ah yes, makes sense. I’m not big on mining and quarrying and Scotland has been quarried a lot, some for export, some to build parts of London. Gold, high quality, is being taken out of Scotland as we speak.
        Ailsa Craig is a tough rock and can withstand a few chippings for these stones, amazing rock. Scotland’s rocks are amazing, it’s so geologically diverse, hence a magnet for geologists from around the globe.

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