Health board defends stats

MORE than half a million pounds was spent by NHS Lothian on communications in 2010, a rise on previous years.

Included in the spending was 33,000 on the in-house Connections newspaper. The total rise is more than 100,000 from 2006.

Health chiefs defend their spending on communications, saying it is a crucial way of keeping in touch with nearly one million patients. Critics argue the cash would be better spent on frontline healthcare.