15 June 2005  Minister's News Release on �5m

�5 Million investment for equipment and adaptation services across Scotland.

Patients across Scotland will benefit from new money to support improvements in equipment and adaptation service delivery, choice and quality.

Announcing the additional �5 million funding, Deputy Health Minister Rhona Brankin said:

"Equipment and adaptation services play a vital role in improving the quality of people's lives.  They can enable people to live independently in their own homes as well as reducing the need for other care services.

"I am pleased to be able to announce this allocation of �5 million to be shared between local authorities across the country to improve these important services.

"Local authorities and their NHS partners will use this money to reduce the waiting times for equipment and adaptation services, to tackle unmet needs and to support improved joined-up working.

"It is vital that we have a more joined-up approach to the delivery of these services to ensure patients get the full benefit of them.  For example, if the NHS supplies a patient with a wheelchair, the local authority provides a ramp into their house.  It seems simple, but in some areas, this basic coordination of services has previously been lacking."

Distribution of Funding:    

 Funding allocated in Pounds Stirling

Aberdeen City 185,874

Aberdeenshire 176,952

Angus 113,752

Argyll & Bute 99,019

Clackmannanshire 42,483

Dumfries & Galloway 163,334

Dundee City 171,168

East Ayrshire 126,238

East Dunbartonshire 84,420

East Lothian 91,913

East Renfrewshire 74,757

Edinburgh, City of 402,085

Eilean Siar 36,939

Falkirk 137,125

Fife 333,508

Glasgow City 702,223

Highland 201,112

Inverclyde 96,075

Midlothian 65,967

Moray 75,777

North Ayrshire 142,351

North Lanarkshire 300,483

Orkney Islands 19,184

Perth & Kinross 139,199

Renfrewshire 166,458

Scottish Borders 114,846

Shetland Islands 18,631

South Ayrshire 129,118

South Lanarkshire 292,987

Stirling 74,907

West Dunbartonshire 103,219

West Lothian 117,897

Scotland 5,000,000

For further information please contact Alison Gilfillan : 0131 244 3177 / 0771 771 5223

Internet: www.scotland.gov.uk