Health services facing shortfall

HEALTH services in the north east of Scotland are facing huge cuts due to a funding shortfall.

NHS Grampian has said despite receiving almost 23 million of new money, it will still need to make savings of about 34m.

The health board has admitted it will be extremely difficult for it to achieve the efficiencies. But it said it would be working very hard to ensure there was no compromise in the key areas of patient care or safety.

NHS Grampian will receive 22.8m of extra money, but it is facing additional costs of 56.8m. A large part of that expense is down to pay awards.