'Services are already strapped!' NHS sparks fury after plans to spend over £1million on asylum seeker healthcare exposed

A leaked memo from NHS Highland last week showed £1.3million in costs will be spent on the asylum seeker care, half of which is expected to be spent on staffing.

In a breakdown of the bill, £269,000 is going to be spent on vaccination clinics and another £25,000 will be spent on sexual health clinics. The asylum seekers will also be given dental care and mental health support.

NHS Highland has maintained its priority "remains unchanged" to offer "high-quality support and services" across all core services for both asylum seekers and locals, continuing to work closely with the Scottish Government.

Delivering his verdict on the staggering costs, Mr Duffy told GB News: "The services for the NHS are strapped at the moment anyway – an influx of 309 men coming into the area will put even harder issues on the NHS itself.

"It's not just the NHS for the hospital and GP practices; it's dental issues as well. People up here already can't get dental appointments at the best of times. This will just make things even worse as well."

Questioned by GB News Scotland Reporter Tony McGuire on Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's newly announced policies, Mr Duffy admitted it will "not put people's minds at ease" about the migrant crisis in Inverness.

Mr Duffy said: "I think there's a mixed reaction, because we do have people that are for and against asylum seekers coming up, but I don't think it will massively put their minds at ease.

"I heard myself this morning about Shabana, her words and ideas, and I think that's just what it is, it's just ideas.

"What she suggests is in some cases to give around about £30,000, and that is a lot of money for obviously those asylum seekers who are coming in."

In a statement, an NHS Highland spokesman said: "NHS Highland can confirm that we have established an Operational Group to undertake a detailed review of our costing proposal for the Home Office.

"We will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government, Scottish Refugee Council, Home Office, Highland Council and other key partners to ensure that high-quality, coordinated core services are delivered in a sustainable way.

"Our priority remains meeting the needs of people seeking asylum and delivering high-quality support and services across all core services."

The Home Secretary has today unveiled strict new rules banning foreign criminals from entering the UK and a new pilot trial for a Danish-style asylum seeker policy, which will pay illegal migrants to leave Britain.

Speaking at the Institute for Public Policy Research in London, Ms Mahmood said it is "essential that the privilege of living in this country forever is earned, not automatic".

Quizzed on her policies by GB News, Chief Political Correspondent Katherine Forster, Ms Mahmood told the People's Channel she is "cracking on" with securing Britain's borders.

She said: "I've been in the job for just over six months, it does feel a bit longer than that, but we made these announcements in November. We're cracking on with implementation. We're only just into March, we'll keep going.

"We will have primary legislation as well as secondary legislation and rule changes in the normal way for immigration rules that happen automatically twice a year, so we're cracking on with making the changes.

"I'd say to your viewers and others who are watching, judge us by our record and what we actually deliver."

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