Sturgeon condemned for 'playing politics' over swine flu costs warning

Published on Monday 20 July 2009 16:14

HEALTH Secretary Nicola Sturgeon today came under opposition fire after warning cuts may be needed if the UK Government does not help Scotland pay for a swine flu vaccine.

Ms Sturgeon insisted a vaccination programme would take place but said it would have to be paid for out of the Scottish budget if Westminster refused to foot the bill.

Labour and the Tories, however, accused her of playing politics on the subject.

The row came as health officials in England sought to allay fears over the impact of swine flu on pregnant women and young children.

The Department of Health clarified its advice on how expectant mothers should protect themselves following a series of apparently mixed messages.

In Scotland a pregnant woman was reported to be critically ill in Crosshouse Hospital, Kilmarnock, after being diagnosed with swine flu.

Neither the health board nor the Scottish Government would confirm this.

Ms Sturgeon said pregnant women should go about their normal business, seeking advice if necessary from their GP or NHS 24 and following good hand hygiene practice.

"We are not advising pregnant women or anybody else to change their daily routine in any way," she said.

The Scottish Government has been pressing the Treasury for contingency funding to be made available to pay for a vaccination programme.

Ms Sturgeon told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland that the Government would continue to make the case to Westminster for cash to be made available for a vaccination programme.

But she said that if UK ministers rejected those calls, the vaccine would be paid for out of the Scottish budget.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The bottom line is we will fund both the vaccine and the delivery of that vaccine. If we don't win the argument on contingency funding we will fund that out of the Scottish budget.

"We're simply making the case that we think a pandemic flu outbreak is something that should trigger the use of contingency funding. But make no mistake, the vaccine programme will be funded."

But she warned that cuts could have to be made if the vaccination programme had to be funded from the Scottish budget.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Every spending decision we take in a fixed budget like the budget the Scottish Government has means that we can't spend money elsewhere, so we will take those decisions should that be necessary."

Labour health spokeswoman Cathy Jamieson said: "The Scottish Government should be planning now for a vaccination programme and how it will meet the cost of this from the existing budget.

"We are in the midst of a pandemic with the possibility of further outbreaks in the autumn and so this is too important an issue to play politics with."

Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon accused the SNP of playing constitutional politics over the pandemic.

She said: "In England the cost of the vaccine is being met from within their health budget. A responsible, grown up Scottish Government would accept its devolved responsibility and do the same."

She added: "If only Alex Salmond hadn't pursued the populist but costly road towards free prescriptions, a move which will cost at least 40 million per year, then more money would be in the health budget to meet real health priorities.