An £8.5million a month wage bill on NHS spin doctors has been branded “disgraceful” in light of the ongoing waiting time crisis impacting patients and ward staff.

The cost of corporate communications staff wages covers all 14 health boards, the Scottish Ambulance Service, the Scottish Government and quangos such as Public Health Scotland for June 2023.

The wage bill has soared by 13 per cent over the past 12 months, despite the fact there are fewer press office staff than this time last year.

In comparison, the average wage rise for individual NHS staff, including nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others over the last year was 6.5 percent.

The highest monthly wage bill was at NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde with a total of £667,406 for 14 staff members. Scotland’s largest health board has recently been criticised for monitoring the social media account of Louise Slorance, a widow seeking answers after her husband died in hospital. It is also spending an additional £15,000 a year to US firm Meltwater, for investigation software.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Transport Matters