FIFE MSP Alex Rowley has written to Scottish Health Minister Jeane Freeman asking for an 'urgent meeting' to discuss what the Government intends to do about the financial problems of the Fife Health and Social Care Trust, which provides acute health and social welfare care in the county.

The Accounts Commission, Scotland's local authority watchdog, reported that Fife Integration Joint Board (IJB) has had overspends in 2018/19 and in the previous two years. These overspends had to be met by the IJB’s two partners, NHS Fife and Fife Council.

The Commission highlighted that ongoing financial pressures will likely undermine how the IJB will be able to improve vital health and social care services for the people of Fife.

Whilst national reports by the Accounts Commission have reported on significant challenges faced by many IJBs beyond Fife IJB, the Commission are clear there are long-standing financial difficulties within Fife IJB that need to be addressed.

Graham Sharp, chair of the Accounts Commission said, "The Accounts Commission are seriously concerned about slow progress in Fife IJB and its clear ongoing financial sustainability issues. If this persists it will inevitably affect the ability of the IJB and its partners, Fife Council and NHS Fife, to improve health and social care services local people depend on".

These findings made Mr Rowley seriously concerned as the Trust's remit has an impact on everyone in Fife and he hopes that Ms Freeman can give him some assurances.

He said in his letter: "I am writing to raise with you once again my concerns about the financial stability and ability of Fife Integrated Joint Board to meet the health and social care needs of the people of Fife.

"I have written to you previously on this subject and have put forward the view that the health and social care partnership has been underfunded from day one and that this underfunding has continued to put pressure on services and seriously affect the ability of the partnership to provide vital community services.

"You will be aware of the Accounts Commission report published on the 27th of February, which states that the ongoing financial pressures are likely to undermine how the IJB will be able to improve vital health and social care services for the people of Fife. I would suggest that despite these issues being raised repeatedly with you and your predecessor, the Government has done nothing to address them. The Government has been quick to direct extra funding into other parts of the country and our next-door neighbours in Tayside NHS, but you have been and are failing the people of Fife.

"I note that the audit report states that recovery actions did not identify and address the required level of savings or actions needed to reduce expenditure in order to address the overspend. Can I suggest to you that this is because the baseline budget of the Partnership is not adequate to meet the needs of the people and it should therefore be no surprise to anyone that the overspends continue. Indeed, if your Government think the way to deal with this is to carry out further cuts to service them my advice would be to think again.

"I ask you to order a complete review of all activities within the remit of this Partnership including the levels of bed blocking, because people are trapped in hospitals because they cannot get a care package in the community. Also the waiting lists for care packages for people living in the community and all levels of community care waiting lists which ultimately puts more pressure on the acute services within the NHS, as people are far more likely to end up in hospital due to the failures to provide care in the community".

Mr Rowley added: "This situation cannot be allowed to continue. I request an urgent meeting with you to discuss this report and to find out what the Government are intending to do to address the very serious issues being raised in the report and that are being raised about the ability of this Partnership to meet the health and social care needs of the people of Fife".