Question reference: S5W-19731
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 1 November 2018
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 November 2018
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in each of the last five years on specialist palliative care services in each (a) NHS board and (b) health and social care partnership area, also broken down by its expenditure on services provided by the (i) third and (ii) independent sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Since 2016, it has been the responsibility of Integration Authorities to commission and plan specialist palliative and end of life care services and supports to meet the needs of their local population. Before 2016, this responsibility lay with Health Boards and Councils for health and social care services respectively.
Funding for specialist palliative and end of life care services is drawn from the overall funds allocated to Integration Authorities by the Scottish Government. As such, officials are unable to provide the information in the way Mr Briggs has requested.
The Scottish Government is working with the Chief Finance Officers and Chief Officers of Integration Authorities to improve clarity on financial reporting arrangements. A consolidated financial report is now provided on a quarterly basis to the Scottish Parliament's Health and Sport Committee and provides an overview of the finances of the Integration Authorities.