Scottish health minister rejects plans to scrap free care for the wealthy
Scottish Health Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has rejected Alex Salmond’s plans to scrap free benefits for wealthy people.
Alex Salmond, the Scottish First Minister, said that he is considering scrapping free eye tests and dental check-ups for wealthier people in a bid to reduce government spending. The Scottish NHS will continue to receive money from the national government but the budget will undoubtedly be tighter than in previous years, as the government tries to reduce the deficit.
In reaction to Salmond’s plans, Miss Sturgeon said that cutting benefits for wealthier people would only make a marginal difference to spending in Scotland. Spending must be reduced by 4.3 billion pounds over the course of the next four years, according to an independent review of the Scottish budget. Miss Sturgeon said that severe cuts are on their way but taking free care off wealthier people was not the answer; instead, she said that health ministers would focus on improving the efficiency of the health service and cutting waste. Miss Sturgeon said it was extremely important that the NHS remained an accessible and universally inclusive service.
The debate on healthcare in Scotland continues to rage and it remains to be seen which course of action will be taken.
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