The SNP have turned their back on our NHS in its time of need, said local MSP Jackie Baillie.

Figures published yesterday showed that A&E patients across Scotland are being let down. The percentage of patients being treated in A&E in four hours or less dropped from 93.5% in December 2013 to just 89.9% in December 2014.

Scottish Labour had one principle demand in the Scottish Budget -; protect the NHS with an additional £100 million Frontline Fund.  This would have allowed hospitals facing extra pressure to have planned surgery at the weekends and diagnostics in the evening.

Scottish Labour Finance Spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP said:

“Today the SNP turned their backs on our NHS in its time of need.

“The hardworking staff in our NHS dedicate their lives to saving others, but they are working under major pressures. They are overstretched, overworked, struggling to cope and it is patients who are bearing the brunt.

“Scottish Labour set out a clear solution to this, with a £100 million Frontline Fund to support our NHS staff and deliver better care for patients. We identified where the money would come from and still the SNP said no.

“On Tuesday the Scottish Government’s own statistics showed that our NHS in Scotland was performing worse than the NHS in England. On Wednesday they decided against giving it the support it needed. Scotland deserves better