NHS bosses to be grilled again over cash

HEALTH bosses in the Highlands are to be questioned for a second time by MSPs over the board’s finances.

Picture: TSPL

NHS Highland’s chairman Garry Coutts, chief executive Elaine Mead and finance director Nick Kenton will appear again before the Scottish Parliaments public audit committee.

They will be asked to further explain their managements of the board’s accounts for 2013-14, and in particular why they need an extra £2.5million to break even that financial year.

Public Audit Committee convener MSP Paul Martin said: “We held a committee meeting in Inverness in early February to get answers about why NHS Highland needed last minute additional funding of £2.5m from the Scottish Government in order to break even.

“Having reflected upon that evidence and the subsequent written response from NHS Highland, a number of key questions remain unanswered.

“We have therefore taken the very unusual step of recalling three NHS Highland witnesses so they can account for their actions in managing NHS Highland’s finances.”

The date of the meeting has not yet been confirmed.