Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for the Lothian Region Sue Webber has described compensation payments paid out by NHS Lothian in recent years as “eye-watering and shocking”.
Sue Webber MSP’s remarks come after the Scottish Conservatives uncovered new figures showing health boards across Scotland have shelled out £227 million in compensation payments over the last five years.
The Freedom of Information responses revealed that a total of £38,246,524.01 was paid out by NHS Lothian after 182 successful compensation claims were made between 2019-20 and 2023-24.
Sue Webber MSP says the payments are the “tragic yet predictable consequences of years of the SNP failing to resource frontline healthcare and leaving medical staff “completely overwhelmed”.
Sue Webber MSP added that these “significant” payments will be taking further crucial resources away from “cash-strapped” NHS Lothian at a time when local healthcare services are counting every penny.
Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Sue Webber said: “These eye-watering compensation payouts for patients are the tragic yet predictable consequences of SNP mismanagement of services in NHS Lothian.
“The level of payments in recent years within NHS Lothian are shocking. Dire workforce planning from successive SNP health secretaries has left dedicated staff completely overwhelmed and more at risk of making mistakes.
“That failure to invest in frontline care means patients are suffering because hardworking staff have been pushed beyond breaking point.
“These significant payments will also put NHS Lothian under even more strain at a time when they are already cash-strapped.
“These figures must be a wake-up call for John Swinney and the SNP to cut out the bureaucracy within the health service and ensure more money gets to the frontline in NHS Lothian to avoid more patients making compensation claims.”
