Glasgow NHS board cuts care services

A cash crisis at Greater Glasgow NHS Board has forced £11m of
care services to be cut from this year’s budget.

The unexpected funding pressures have forced the board to drop
plans for new palliative care, homelessness and alcohol projects.
Mental health services will lose £1.5m alone in the cuts.

A spokesperson for the board said that the financial pressures
leading to the cuts included Glasgow’s dwindling population which
has affected its funding formula status, the cost of pay and
pay-related inflation, and the impact of the junior doctors’ new
deal agreement which is several millions of pounds higher than had
been expected.

The intention is to build the services into next year’s health
plan. The spokesperson said it still planned to expand and develop
other services including £1m worth of funding to child mental
health teams and £800,000 for older people’s services.