Health board given £1.1m winter boost
Increased pressures
With a big freeze of Beast from the East proportions forecast this winter, NHS Lanarkshire’s coffers have been boosted by an extra £1.1 million to help cope.
The additional cash is part of a £10m funding package for health boards across the country announced from the Scottish Government – on top of the £9m already allocated to support unscheduled care all year round.
The investment aims to support health and social care services to increase weekend discharges where patients are fit to go home.
It will also help boards with staff planning over the festive bank holidays, ensuring both admission and discharge rates can be maintained, with a focus on better use of community pharmacy.
Craig Cunningham, head of commissioning and performance for South Lanarkshire health and social care partnership, said: “We welcome this extra financial support which will be targeted at those services best places to ensure the continued delivery of health and social care services over the winter period when there is a greater demand on these services.
“Each year we develop a winter plan with partners including North and South Lanarkshire councils, Scottish Ambulance Service and NHS 24 to ensure we are all working together to keep the people of Lanarkshire safe.
“We can all help by taking simple steps to maintain good health through the winter period, such as taking up the flu vaccine and knowing which local services are best placed to help us.”
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced the funding and said: “We know winter creates particular pressures on our health and social care system.
“It’s important we are well prepared and that’s why we are allocating funding earlier than ever before.”