Labour say millions being spent in health service to ‘hide its failures’

Scottish Labour has criticised growing spending on communications staff in the health service, claiming millions are being spent to “hide its failures”.

The party obtained freedom of information data showing the Scottish Government health directorate and health boards spent more than £34 million on communications staff in the past five years.

The figures showed spending more than doubling over the period to just over £6.9 million in the last full financial year.

Not every health board provided data, though one board employed communications staff who had additional responsibilities.

Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: “At a time when our NHS is lurching from crisis to crisis, this SNP government has allowed millions to be squandered on trying to hide its failures rather than ensuring that patients get treated.

“With nearly one in six Scots on an NHS waiting list, the SNP should get a grip and swap the spin doctors for the real kind.

“A Scottish Labour government will focus on delivery not hot air by making cutting waiting times and clearing the NHS backlog our day-one priority.”

Anas Sarwar’s party has proposed cutting the number of regional health boards from 14 to three, as well as bringing in a new funding model designed to incentivise performance, where the amount that is paid is based on the amount of care delivered.

Responding to Labour’s claims, a Scottish Government spokesman said: “Effective communication to help people understand policies and access public services, or to prompt behaviour change and promote better health, is a key part of government work.

“Communications professionals working on areas related to health and social care perform a variety of roles.

“These include managing campaigns to communicate important public health information, delivering a high-quality response service to meet round-the-clock demands of news organisations, assisting journalists and facilitating interviews that help hold ministers to account.

“Scottish Government funding of health and social care is at a record level and we are investing £21.7 billion through our 2025-26 budget.”