NHS Western Isles is once again under the spotlight over its financial management, or lack of it as the case may be. Last year, as this blog also reported, the top slice of management was replaced following allegations of bullying and harassment, as well as failures in management generally.
A new management team was installed by the then Scottish Executive. They were set a financial target of break-even by September 2007, which has not been met. The local NHS still has a deficit in excess of £3 million. A report by the Auditor General of Scotland has identified lack of financial management and serious issues in the running of the board generally.
Although I echo the statement by our MSP that it is time all the facts about the local NHS came above board, I think it is also time a firm plan of action is put forward by the management at the Health Board, with a clear and realistic strategy on how this be achieved.
The primary objective is of course to reduce the deficit to zero without affecting patient care. The secondary objective is to do so with full support from staff (which is where the previous administration went wrong).
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