Health chiefs are to step up their look at how resources could be shared with neighbouring health boards as the need to save cash becomes ever more pressing.
Bosses from NHS Fife, NHS Tayside, NHS Borders, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lothian will sit down later this week to consider what scope for savings there is from greater cross-board collaboration.
Various departments are likely to be looked at including catering, recruitment, information technology, communications, human resources and maintenance.
The talks will form part of a seminar organised by NHS Scotland’s South East and Tayside Region (SEAT) group and will be attended by management team members and staff side chairmen from all five health boards.
A spokeswoman for NHS Fife stressed nothing has been decided but a range of options are likely to be mooted during discussions.
“There are no plans prepared and no proposals on the table the session is simply to consider what might be possible,” she said.
“Just as with the existing NHS Fife work exploring possible ways of improving efficiency through joint working with Fife Council and Fife Police which builds on examples such as fleet servicing and the joint equipment store any proposals would be worked up in detail with full staff-side participation before going to the NHS Fife board for decision.”
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