Single rooms in all new hospitals : "No guarantee of new cash," says MSP

Marlyn Glen said today that she had received " no guarantee" from Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon that NHS Tayside would receive new additional money specifically for carrying out the SNP Government’s policy of providing single rooms in all new-build and in mostly refurbished hospitals.

In reply to a letter from Ms. Glen, Ms. Sturgeon said :

"All NHS Boards receive an annual allocation of funds.

"It is for each NHS Health Board to determine how best to utilise these funds to meet the needs of resident population, taking account of national and local priorities."

New hospitals are to have solely single rooms , and refurbished wards at least 50 per cent single beds.

Ms. Glen written to Ms. Sturgeon on the increased cost of the effect in the changes of design, the implications for increases in staffing costs, and the effect this would have on the budgets of health boards such as NHS Tayside.


Ms. Glen said,

"While the Minister admits to increases in costs, there is no corresponding commitment to increases in funding from the SNP Government to pay for them.

" The provision of single rooms in hospital will assist in helping to control the spread of infection.

" They are part of a larger prevention and control regime for tackling Healthcare Acquired Infection."