Politicians told they must rebuild public trust on NHS

POLITICIANS have to rebuild trust with the public on the subject of the NHS, city nurses have said.

The Edinburgh-based Royal College of Nursing Scotland said more than half of Scots did not believe parties who said they were committed to protecting the health service.

Although NHS Lothian received a funding hike this year, it is still 55 million short of where it should be and 2000 jobs are to be cut by next year.

RCN Scotland director Theresa Fyffe said: "The results should leave politicians in no doubt - public trust in them is not to be taken for granted.

"The main parties have committed themselves to protecting the health budget, but whoever is in government after the election will need to work hard to keep public support while making difficult decisions about how to make less money go further.

"The public and healthcare staff want to see greater honesty and transparency as those decisions are made."