Crippling PFI contracts siphon off money from NHS

"NHS boards face paying back £10billion to firms for new hospitals that cost just £2billion to build under controversial private finance deals."

"The figures include the SNP’s own non-profit scheme which will see cash-strapped health boards paying back almost £2billion for hospitals worth less than £750million, the Sunday Mail can reveal."

"This year alone NHS boards will have to make repayments of £285million."

"Public-private partnership (PPP) schools have come under renewed fire after it was revealed last week 70 schools financed under the schemes in Scotland have defects."

"But the NHS also face a £9.7billion bill to pay for private firms financing, building and maintaining hospitals – some of which have been hit with a series of problems."

"Politicians and union leaders yesterday demanded the Scottish Government help to buy out crippling private finance initiative (PFI) contracts so the debt could be repaid at much lower interest rates..."

"Allyson Pollock, professor of public health at Newcastle University, said: `Most patients don’t know that a good proportion of the money that should be going towards their care is being siphoned off to bankers and shareholders, many of whom shelter their profits in tax havens`."

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/struggling-nhs-faces-crippling-bills-10234545