Disease survival rates 'improve'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7143828.stm

Version 0 of 1.

The NHS in Scotland is reducing waiting times for treatment, improving survival rates for major diseases and living within its budget, a report has shown.

However, watchdog Audit Scotland said there was still much to do to tackle obesity, drug deaths and alcohol abuse.

Auditor General Robert Black welcomed improved financial management but called for more evidence that the money was making a difference to people.

The NHS underspent its near £10bn budget by £98m in 2006/07.

The £9.4bn in spending is about a third of the Scottish Government's annual budget and 29% up in real terms since 2001/02, although there was little change from the previous year.

There is a need for more evidence that the money is making a difference to the people of Scotland Auditor General for ScotlandRobert Black

Mr Black, said: "Financial management has shown clear improvements over previous years, with all boards, but one, managing to stay within their budget.

"We would like to see this continue so that boards can adequately deal with the cost pressures they face in the future."

The report found that Scotland's health was improving, with longer life expectancy and lower mortality rates for key diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer.

However, some public health issues such as drug and alcohol-related problems and obesity are getting worse and health inequalities are widening.

There was an increase in the number of drug-related deaths

Drug-related deaths increased by 25% between 2005 and 2006, from 336 to 421.

More than a third (38%) of these occurred in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area where there was an increase from 111 to 162.

The NHS was also found to be making good progress against many of its key targets, including waiting times and the financial performance of the NHS had improved.

Further work was urged on delayed discharges and reducing older people's readmissions to hospital.

It showed individual boards were managing their own finances better with only one - NHS Western Isles - failing to stay within its revenue budget.

'Better information'

Mr Black added: "I am pleased to report signs of progress both in performance and financial management, but there is a need for more evidence that the money is making a difference to the people of Scotland.

"The NHS in Scotland needs better information about its quality and productivity."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon outlined the SNP's action plan for health on Wednesday and she said: "This action plan puts in place a new set of targets for NHS Scotland to work towards - targets that will focus discussion and reporting on a number of key efficiency, cost and quality measures."

But Liberal Democrat spokesman Ross Finnie questioned the targets.

He said: "The Scottish Government told us it had made a commitment to shift further the balance of care from acute to community care, but failed to commit any extra resources to this shift."

Conservative health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon raised concerns that services for dealing with obesity were "patchy".