Local Labour representatives are demanding to know why East Lothian has again missed out on its fair share of funding, this time in the allocation of additional funding for health and social care.

£1.76m over three years has been allocated to the county to assist the new local Health and Social Partnership to address emerging pressures, implement strategic plans and deliver improvement.

One of the main purposes of the funding is supposed to be to help reduce the number of people delayed in hospital, which has been a major problem in East Lothian.
 
However, despite this, the county has fared badly in its allocation when compared with other authorities with fewer residents waiting to be discharged from hospital.

Labour leader of the Council, Cllr Willie Innes said:

“I’m bemused at the way these funds have been allocated. East Lothian has the second highest level of delayed discharge in Scotland. However, we will only get approximately half a million pounds each year over three years, which only goes about half way to addressing the problems we have and leaves almost nothing for more creative efforts to shift the balance of care locally.

“SNP Ministers state they are committed to reducing the number of people waiting to be discharged from hospital, but this funding just won’t do the job for us here in East Lothian.”

Local Labour MSP, Iain Gray said:

“Once again, East Lothian has been short-changed when it comes to SNP Scottish Government funding. Any extra funds to relieve the pressure on health and social care and deliver a better service for patients must be welcomed. But the way the allocation has been determined means that money has been given to partnerships that don’t really need it, while East Lothian has a shortfall in what it needs.
 
“Not only are my constituents stuck in hospital when they no longer need to be, others are waiting hours in corridors in the A&E because they cannot be admitted.  The Health Secretary says tackling delayed discharge is an absolute key priority for this government, but we simply aren’t seeing those words backed up by the level of funding required here.”