More than £2 million is to be cut from Dundee health services during the coronavirus pandemic, with the decision branded a “shameful dereliction of duty”.
The budget for Dundee’s Integrated Joint Board (IJB), which delivers health and social care services in the city, was approved on Friday and will see a £2.65 million cut for 2021/2022.
Labour councillors Michael Marra and Helen Wright say the move could affect the city’s ability to cope with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Marra said: “These cuts would be wrong headed in the best of times.
“To do so now, in the midst of a national health crisis, is a shameful dereliction of our duty to the people of Dundee.
“We know that after the pandemic we will face a new health crisis as we come to terms with delayed treatment times and the impact on people’s mental health of the past year.
“Almost half of the planned cuts come from reduced staffing costs and delayed investment.
“This is exactly the kind of short-term thinking that has hampered Dundee for years and that we must move beyond.
“The IJB must urgently work with Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside and the Scottish Government to deliver a budget that stops these cuts.”
Where are the savings being made?
- New meals contract price from Tayside Contracts, £93,000
- Reduction in GP prescribing budget, £500,000
- Reduction in discretionary spend e.g. supplies, services and transport costs, £300,000
- Anticipated increased staff turnover, £700,000
- Anticipated additional carers funding, £397,000
- Delayed utilisation of reinvestment funding, £500,000
Staff ‘much more than a service’
Ms Wright tabled an amendment requesting the chairman of the IJB write to Dundee City Council asking them to release £778,000 which she says was “top-sliced” from the IJB budget.
She added this cash could be crucial in ensuring services are able to deal with the ageing population and post-pandemic health issues such as long Covid-19 and delayed treatment.
She said: “These staff [in health and social care] are much more than a service.
“They are a friend and a lifeline.”
Trade Union representative Jim McFarlane added: “We should be fighting for more.
“Whether we call them cuts or savings, there are consequences for staff and services.”
The amendment was put to a vote but was unsuccessful and the budget was then approved.
The board’s chief finance officer Dave Berry said additional funding to deal with the pandemic from the Scottish Government is unaffected.
He described the budget cuts as “largely non-recurring” in nature.
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said a budget increase from the Scottish Government was passed to the IJB “in full”.
“NHS Tayside received an uplift to its core allocation from the Scottish Government for 2021/2022 of 1.5%,” she said.
“NHS Tayside has passed this uplift on in full to Dundee IJB for 2021/2022 with the IJB receiving a total budget allocation from NHS Tayside of £171.9m.”