Day surgery could save £8m on Scotland's health bill
Published Date:
04 September 2008
THE NHS in Scotland could save more than £8 million a year by carrying out more day surgery and cutting the number of patients kept in hospital overnight, a report reveals today.
Audit Scotland said the rate of day surgery in Scotland was rising, but was still lower than in England. Its report said if new targets to increase day surgery were met, 34,000 more operations could be carried out as day cases, freeing up £8.1 million.
Until now, procedures such as varicose vein operations, circumcisions and hernias have had targets as day cases.
Mary Scanlon, the Tories health spokeswoman, said: "Scottish Conservatives welcome the increase in use of day surgery in the NHS."
A British Medical Association Scotland spokeswoman said: "The drive to reach targets for day case activity shouldn't compromise patient care."
The full article contains 145 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
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Last Updated:
03 September 2008 9:55 PM
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Source:
The Scotsman
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Location:
Edinburgh
