Current status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan, published in June 2025, in what areas it plans for NHS boards to make savings in order to achieve its commitment to “Deliver NHS Board 3% recurring savings against core funding”.
The Scottish Government’s Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan confirms that efficiency and improvement is a key focus for the Health and Social Care portfolio and reflects the commitment to ensure use of core resources is optimised and best value is delivered across NHS Scotland.
Spending decisions are an operational matter for individual NHS Boards to consider with the overarching financial framework of governance and accountability set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM).
The Chief Executive of each NHS Board is designated as the Accountable Officer (AO). They are responsible in leading the Board to promote the efficient, economic and effective use of resources, this includes decisions regarding areas in which to make savings, whilst ensuring patient outcomes are protected.