 | 'A secret Whitehall dossier written 30 years ago has revealed that
Labour ministers were concerned about the case for Scottish independence. The information was kept confidential at the time to keep Nationalism
at bay. The paper was obtained by the Scottish National Party under freedom of
information legislation. Written by a leading government economist in 1974, it sets out how oil would have given Scotland one of the strongest currencies in Europe.' BBC News, 12 th September 2005. |  |
SNP candidate in the Livingston by-election, Angela Constance, has published new figures provided by ISD Scotland which show that St John's hospital in Livingston has lower costs per patient than the ERI in every category.
Yesterday Ms Constance revealed that more patients are now travelling from West Lothian to the ERI as a result of the cuts in general surgery and trauma orthopaedics. It has now emerged that the average cost of treating these patients is higher at the ERI.
Commenting Ms Constance said:
It just doesn't make sense to have people travelling all the way into Edinburgh from St John's for services, that it now emerges, cost more to deliver.
These latest figures show that St John's is among the most cost effective hospitals anywhere in Scotland. It comes out in front of the ERI in every category.
Last year it cost almost 50% more at the ERI for each day patient attendance and just under 40% more for every inpatient case - that is exactly £1000 more per patient.
This information adds further strength to the SNP's campaign to protect and expand services at St John's.
The people of Livingston do not want to lose their local health services to the ERI in Edinburgh, especially when it costs more per patient. Labour's centralisation is making less and less sense.
Voters in Livingston have the chance to make a difference for St John's next week and a vote for the SNP will send the message loud and clear that we want to see St John's grow.
NOTE - The figures from ISD Scotland are for the most recent year 2003/04. They show:
The cost per attendance for Outpatients-AHPS is 43% lower in St John's than the ERI;
for A&E it is 30% cheaper per attendance;
for Day Patients it is 47% cheaper per attendance;
for Inpatients it is 37% cheaper per case;
for Day Cases it is 37% cheaper per case
and for Outpatients-Consultants 42% cheaper per attendance.
Each Inpatient case at the ERI costs £2679 compared to £1679 at St John's - exactly £1000 per patient more.
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