Funding increased for health boards to help with Covid costs

An additional £380m is to be allocated to health boards to help them with the costs of the Covid-19 pandemic.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the funding during the Scottish Government coronavirus briefing on Friday.

It will include support for the vaccination programme, the Test and Protect system, and for PPE.

The funding is on top of £1.7bn allocated last year to health boards and to health and social care partnerships.

Health secretary Humza Yousaf also pledged that the government will publish a national recovery plan within its first 100 days.

“Although we are hopefully emerging from this pandemic, coronavirus continues to add significant pressures to our health and care services,” said Yousaf.

“We will continue to assess the impact of Covid-19 and provide health and care services with the support they require.

“The remobilisation of the NHS is among our top priorities. We will publish a national recovery plan within the first 100 days of this government.

“The £380m includes £90.3m for Test and Protect, a further £76.8m for the Covid and extended flu vaccination programmes, and £85.5m allocated to National Services Scotland for PPE costs.

“The rest of the funding will cover costs including additional staffing to support hospital scale-up, equipment, maintenance and IT.”