SNP must ‘get a grip’ over spending on external NHS consultants – Labour

Scottish Labour has urged the SNP to “get a grip” on NHS Scotland’s use of external consultants after it was revealed that millions have been spent on them since 2019-2020.

Scottish Labour said £97,000 was paid by Public Health Scotland to professional services network Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG) in 2022-2023, and £205,692 by NHS Highlands to a company that specialises in conflict management resolution.

Other spends included a £1,230 fee paid by NHS Lothian for cancelling at short notice and £23,477.76 spent by The State Hospital – a high-security psychiatric hospital near Carstairs, North Lanarkshire, – on a media strategy.

The SNP must get a grip on health boards' spending and ensure that where money does go to external consultants, it can be clearly justified

In total, health boards spent more than £53 million on management consultants in the years between 2019/20 and 2023/24, although in some cases this figure includes capital spend and building projects.

Scottish Labour said some health boards did not provide a breakdown of spending, meaning the true figure is likely to be higher.

The party’s health spokesperson Dame Jackie Baillie said: “While outside expertise will always be needed, these figures show that at a time when our hospitals and surgeries are under pressure, health boards are still haemorrhaging cash.

“The SNP must get a grip on health boards’ spending and ensure that where money does go to external consultants, it can be clearly justified.

“It’s the Scottish Government which should show leadership when it comes to reforming our health service, yet after nearly two decades the SNP is out of ideas.

“The reality is that John Swinney and the SNP have no meaningful plan, no strategy and no ideas to save our NHS.

NHS boards make decisions on their spending, including the use of external consultants and overseas travel, where this is necessary to provide the most effective services

“A Scottish Labour government will make sure our NHS is free and available at the point of need, declare a national waiting times emergency, end the 8am rush for a GP appointment and do whatever it takes to fix the NHS.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Spending on external consultants is a tiny fraction of the NHS budget.

“NHS boards make decisions on their spending, including the use of external consultants and overseas travel, where this is necessary to provide the most effective services.

“This information is published to ensure transparency and discussions are held on a regular basis with each NHS board on how it is utilising its resources to ensure value for money.”