Gray's winter health plan 'not worth paper it's written on'

THE SNP Health Secretary's urgent NHS winter plan was described as a "sticking plaster" after it was unveiled at Holyrood yesterday.

- By David Walker

Denial... Neil Gray

Neil Gray announced £20million of funding to help health boards deal with increased pressure, although the money had already been set aside in the Scottish budget last year.

A&E waits, bed blocking numbers and ambulance response times are already exerting strain, while doctors are warning of a particularly bad flu season.

The winter plan was unveiled two months later than in 2024. Critics have questioned why it took Mr Gray so long. Scottish Tory public health spokesman Brian Whittle said: "Our NHS is heading into the toughest winter it's ever faced - and this so-called 'plan' isn't worth the paper it's written on.