Health boards in Scotland are expected to benefit from a share of a £2billion NHS funding boost to be announced by the UK Government today.
The majority of the cash will go towards frontline services in England and Wales, but Scotland is due to receive about £125million.
Writing for the Press and Journal today, Chief Secretary to the Treasury an Highland MP Danny Alexander, said he wants the Scottish Government to use the money to help Highland and Grampian health boards, which are both facing significant funding and recruitment problems.
Highlands and Islands MSP Mary Scanlon said: “I very much welcome this funding, which is being allocated to provide better access to GPs and mental health services in England.
“These are two major priorities in Scotland, which I hope the SNP will address when we receive our share of the money.”
A spokesman for deputy first minister and finance secretary John Swinney said: “The Scottish Government already announced in October that we are delivering more than £250million in extra funding for our NHS, which is over and above our share from Westminster spending – and we have also committed to increasing the health service revenue budget year on year throughout the terms of this and the next parliament.
“We look forward to seeing the detail of any announcement from the Treasury, but Danny Alexander – who has been an architect of NHS privatisation south of the border – has form for sleight of hand on these issues, where promised ‘new money’ turns out to be no such thing.”