Brankin blast for Sturgeon over NHS cuts

LABOUR'S Rhona Brankin has challenged health secretary Nicola Sturgeon to resign if staff cuts at NHS Lothian harm front line services.

The Evening News has revealed health board plans to axe 700 jobs this year – nearly half of them nurses – and a further 1,300 next year.

Ms Brankin, MSP for Midlothian, took on Ms Sturgeon over the impending cuts during a question session at the Scottish Parliament.

She asked: "How does she justify requiring the health board to make staff cuts of over 700 this year, with nearly double that to come next year? Can she tell us which hospitals and clinics the 333 nursing posts will be disappearing from?

"And if she is so convinced she can cut hundreds of nursing jobs in Lothian and not affect patient care, will she offer to resign if front line services get worse as a result of her cuts?"

Ms Sturgeon said she accepted that on matters to do with the NHS, the buck stopped with her. But she accused Ms Brankin of scaremongering.

And she told MSPs: "As the NHS faces up to these extremely difficult times, quality of care is of the utmost importance."