Murdo has slammed First Minister John Swinney for “betraying” patients by not going ahead with a promised £35 million Tayside National Treatment Centre at Perth Royal Infirmary (PRI).
Following the recent Scottish Government Budget, the Finance Secretary Shona Robison refused to say whether the five planned national treatment centres will now be delivered. Funding issues led to the projects being paused in 2024. As part of the capital budget/infrastructure proposal, the Scottish Government stated that the need for the National Treatment Centres would be re-assessed depending on the national picture.
Commenting, Murdo said: “I am appalled that John Swinney has effectively ditched the plan to build a National Treatment Centre at PRI after it was announced five years to great fanfare.
“This is a huge blow for the city and a betrayal to the people of Perth, with the planned treatment centre merely an afterthought now due purely to the SNP’s financial incompetence.
“You have to conclude that this plan was just a pre-Election promise and was destined to not happen.”
Murdo continued: “The planned Tayside National Treatment Centre for Perth Royal Infirmary was announced by the SNP just before the last Holyrood election in 2021, with the promise it would be completed and be receiving patients by the end of 2024.
“It is now quite apparent that the SNP have ditched these plans, which is shocking. The much-needed treatment centre would have catered for a host of vital procedures, including breast surgery, gynaecology, neurosurgery, plastic surgery, urology and ear nose and throat treatments.
“I’m sure residents in Perth and Perthshire will agree with me in saying they have been badly let down by the SNP in not proceeding with this plan. It is just yet another broken SNP promise.”
