Sale of NHS property - 'Money being spirited away when needed'

There is something a little sneaky about the timing of the Scottish Government's "land grab" at Edinburgh's Deaconess Hospital.

It may be just coincidence that new regulations which will force NHS Lothian to hand over the 4 million receipts from selling the hospital have kicked in under the cover of the Scottish election campaign.

Instead of the money from a sale of a local NHS asset being spent locally, it will fund projects anywhere in Scotland.

Of course, the important thing is that the money will do good somewhere within the health service, but the cash is being spirited away from the city just when NHS Lothian needs it most. The receipts wouldn't even fund the 5m rates increase it faces this year.

Putting all such cash in a central pot will also do nothing to reward health boards which manage properties efficiently and adjust their estates to meet modern requirements.

The Deaconess was originally acquired by the General Assembly to help prepare women for missionary work in Scotland and abroad, but many NHS properties will have been bought with the help of bequests specifically made for the health care of local people. Are all such orders to be cast aside in the name of yet more centralisation?

As Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon made a habit of looking after NHS projects in her native Glasgow without offering the same degree of help to schemes in the Lothians - at the new Sick Kids for one.

The government's latest move on NHS assets will affect the whole country, but once again its first effect will be felt here in Edinburgh.

Fire warning

When someone like the chief fire officer warns about "catastrophic" cuts, only a fool would not take heed.

But that's the language Jimmy Campbell uses when he describes what further savings would mean for the Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service.

In an interview with the News today, he is careful to stress that front line firefighters are not targets for cuts, but he makes it clear that a 1.2m drop in funding this year has already put the local service at stretching point.

After the election, politicians will have to stop talking about restructuring the emergency services to make them more efficient and start doing something about it.

Mr Campbell seems to be one of a growing number forecasting mergers of Scotland's eight brigades. We agree, and with his call for any single service to be based in the Capital.