Douglas Lumsden has described NHS Grampian as a “board in chaos” after it emerged the health board overspent by £17 million in just the first three months of the financial year.
Figures show the board has the largest overspend of any NHS body in Scotland so far this year, with its total debt to the Scottish Government now standing at £92.2 million. Without urgent action, the overspend could rise to £55 million by the end of the year.
NHS Grampian is already subject to increased scrutiny from the Scottish Government, having been placed at Stage Four of the NHS Scotland National Performance Framework – the second-highest level of intervention.
Douglas has said the situation was unacceptable and demanded that Health Secretary Neil Gray take decisive action.
The board has a savings target of £62 million for the year, but first-quarter figures reveal it is already £10 million behind schedule. Officials have also identified a further £9.7 million risk of unmet savings by the end of March.
“This has been going on for far too long now,” Douglas added. “We hear stories about ambulances waiting outside the hospital, huge, long waiting lists as well, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse all the time.
“I’ve been asking Neil Gray if he’s got confidence in the board because I certainly don’t but I think he needs to step up and take some action.
“I think they really need to step back and look at it again and see where more assistance is required because the plans that are in place are obviously not working.”
