Highland MSPs lock horns over NHS Scotland’s £35 million bill for psychiatric locums as health minister Maree Todd defends the government against Edward Mountain’s criticism
Two Highland MSPs locked horns over psychiatric care across Scotland amid an 84 per cent rise on emergency psychiatric locum spending overall since 2019 pointing to a crisis in the field.
In a topical question Edward Mountain asked health minister Maree Todd: “1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported growing concerns over the shortfall of psychiatrists employed by the NHS to deliver psychiatric care.”
It was prompted by a joint investigation by the BBC and The Guardian which found NHS Scotland spent £35 million on locums last year and £14.7 million of that went towards ‘emergency locums’.
• Jump in number of children and adults accessing psychiatric support in Highlands
• Mental health service doubles up GP practices supported across the Highlands
• Taskforce to tackle mental health crisis in the Highlands
This means that there has been a 75 per cent increase since 2019 on psychiatric locum spending overall, as well as an 84 per cent increase on emergency locum psychiatrists.
Mr Mountain cited how private companies were charging health boards as much as £837 per hour for locum psychiatrists and some patients were seen remotely from countries such as India.
He slammed the response from Ms Todd describing it as relying heavily on vague future plans and the potential of a psychiatry working group, saying: “The state of psychiatric care in both Scotland and the Highlands is appalling.
“Between a reduction in bed numbers, a severe shortage of psychiatrists, and constituents being forced to travel long distances or to use inconsistent online consultations, the Scottish Government is failing all those to whom it promised better mental health support.
“Add to this the £35 million on expensive locum psychiatrist fees in 2023/24, and it is clear that the vague plans the Minister spoke about today do not represent satisfactory solutions.
“Mental health services in Scotland are at breaking point.”
Ms Todd, herself a mental health pharmacist for many years, acknowledged there was a significant problem but said the remote consultation with a consultant in India has been discontinued.
She said: “We are actively encouraging medical students to consider long term psychiatric care. We have created 42 additional posts in core psychiatry since 2014 and with one exception 100 per cent of entry level posts have been filled for the fourth year.
“The psychiatry recruitment and retention working group will be reporting back to ministers in spring 2025. The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland are critical partners in this work and the cabinet secretary for health and social care is meeting with college representatives on Thursday.
She added: “Ensuring the provision of high quality and safe patient care remains our utmost priority.”
