Crucial Edinburgh armed forces veteran charity to close doors due to funding cuts
A vital service for military veterans is set to close its doors due to massive budget cuts from both the NHS board and Holyrood.
Veterans First Point Lothian is earmarked for closure by April 2025 after a decision was made by NHS Lothian to pull its financial backing.
The charity has six centres across Scotland funded in part by health boards. The centre located in Edinburgh is the biggest and supports the most armed forces veterans, the Scottish Daily Express reports.
READ MORE: Edinburgh charities are fighting to survive after a 'devastating' announcement
READ MORE: Edinburgh dad drops six stone after making easy switch in his snacking habit
It is described as a "one-stop shop", offering support, advice and mental health care for veterans and is staffed by clinicians.
According to the Express, NHS Lothian has told Veterans First Point staff and patients that it can no longer provide its share - £214,778 - of the total budget required in order to maintain the service. Significant financial challenges face health boards, with NHS Scotland Chief Executive Caroline Lamb warning that major cuts will be needed to fill a £1.1bn budget black hole.
Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
The Scottish Government has ruled out axing free prescriptions for all, despite this costing the public purse £1.62bn in the last year. Instead, services will be pared back in most health boards.
NHS Lothian is being forced to review all services and departments in a bid to make efficiency savings of 7 per cent following the budget allocation made earlier this year. Further reductions within the mental health budget of 4.6 per cent means that the health board can no longer continue to find its share of this service.
Tracey McKigen, Director of Royal Edinburgh Hospital and Associated Services, NHS Lothian, said: “This has been a really difficult decision and we apologise to all of our patients and staff who are affected. We would like to thank the team for their dedication and commitment to supporting our veterans over the years.
“This is no reflection on the quality of the Veterans First Point Lothian service, but it does serve as a stark reminder of the extremely difficult choices that we are facing every day as we balance the need to provide safe and effective healthcare while meeting the severe financial challenges facing health board and other public sector organisations.”
The Scottish Government will allocate its 40 per cent share of the funding elsewhere, with the health board currently reviewing what help it can give to veterans within its remaining budget. Veterans First Point will now no longer be able to accept new referrals or commence any new episodes of treatment.
Veterans who are impacted by the change are urged to contact the team to discuss alternative support. If veterans feel they need help or support and are not already part of Veterans First Point Lothian, they should contact their GP during the day and at evenings and weekends, they should contact NHS 24 on 111.
Scottish Liberal Democrat veterans spokesperson Bruce Wilson said: “This will come as a huge blow to veterans across Lothian. Instead of rewarding them for their dedication to public service and duty, the SNP is leaving our veterans out in the cold by cutting mental health budgets.
"In the run up to remembrance day, this is a stark reminder of the contempt the SNP hold for those who have served and the sacrifices they have made. On everything from housing to healthcare and travel, Scottish Lib Dems would get our veterans the fair deal they deserve.”
Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox
Scottish Conservative shadow minister for veterans Edward Mountain MSP said: “This decision, which puts the wellbeing of our heroic veterans at risk, is a direct consequence of the squeeze being put on health boards by SNP ministers who have mismanaged Scotland’s public finances.
“Unless the SNP Government make up the funding shortfall to keep this service going, it will signal, once again how disconnected they are from mainstream public opinion.
“Ordinary Scots expect our service veterans, like our pensioners who are losing winter fuel payments, to be properly looked after. Yet the SNP, trapped in a left-wing Holyrood bubble, would rather prioritise free bus travel for asylum seekers and fund education in other countries.
“This decision will also stick in the throats of many given that it has been made so close to Remembrance Day. Instead of betraying courageous veterans, the SNP should apply some common sense and get their priorities right.”