£50 Million A&E Package: FOI release

Information requested

1. A breakdown of how the £50 million the Health Secretary announced to reduce A&E waiting times will be distributed between all the Health Boards of Scotland. Please include the amount, or estimated amount, each health board will receive from this budget.
2. A breakdown of how each health board will be expected to spend their share of the package. In other words, how many members of staff it is expected to allow the health board to hire.
3. The calculation and rationale behind the £50 million figure. Specifically documents which show how that specific figure was arrived at and decided upon.
4. Who specifically from the Scottish Government decided on the figure and who was present when the amount was settled on.

Response

Point 1
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Scottish Government is working with Health Boards to develop and implement improvement plans in line with the Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative. Decisions around funding are pending until this exercise is complete.

Point 2
The £50 million is intended to cover staffing and changes to existing pathways of care. Given the significant challenges the healthcare system has experienced, it is recognised, that a period of recovery and sustainability is imperative, and accordingly, the funding that is being allocated, is to assist with the process of stabilising and improving Health and Social Care.

With this being said, the provision of health services is the responsibility of the NHS Health Boards across Scotland. Detailed planning in relation to Health Services is therefore carried out by each Health Board individually, in its respective area.

Point 3 & 4
I have enclosed a copy of the information requested. The Scottish Government has identified over £50 million from it’s 2022-23 Health Budget. This pulls together historical funding streams into one package to enable Health Boards to focus on delivering required outcomes within a model that is appropriate for their Board. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because an exemption under section s.29(1)(a) (policy formulation) of FOISA applies to that information. The reasons why that exemption(s) applies are explained below.

Reasons for not providing information An exemption applies

Exemptions under section s.29(1)(a)Formulation or development of Scottish Government Policy of FOISA applies to some of the information you have requested.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is some public interest in release as part of an open and transparent government and to inform public debate. However, there is a greater public interest in high quality policy and decision-making, and in the properly constructed implementation of policies and decisions. This means that Ministers and officials need to be able to consider all available options and to debate those rigorously, to fully understand their possible implications.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202200303879 - Information released

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1 page PDF

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