A Scottish health board is spending up to £75,000 on new tea and coffee trolleys for its hospital wards.
NHS Grampian has awarded a Bristol company a contract to “enhance the beverage and breakfast experience for patients” – despite claiming it needs to cut hundreds of jobs.
It also has to slash £100million from its building budget over the next five years because of the squeeze on public spending.
Last night, politicians criticised the decision to proceed with the contract – but health bosses said the trolleys were essential to keep drinks, breakfast cereal and toast warm and fresh.
It has ordered 27 Ultrakarts – which cost about £2,500 each – to be used at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Mike Rumbles described the spending as “excessive”.
He said: “I am sure the health board needs tea and breakfast trolleys – but £75,000 worth? I don’t think this spending is necessary at a time of austerity.”
North East Conservative MP Alex Johnstone said: “Every single piece of expenditure that NHS Grampian makes from now on must be justified by proving how it delivers better healthcare.
“I am prepared to concede that this will sometimes require interesting decisions, but I find it hard to believe trolleys of this price can provide a matching level of improvements.”
NHS Grampian had hoped to offer 350 workers voluntary redundancy to help make £34million of savings, but the plan has been dropped.
The board launched a severance scheme earlier this year and it attracted more than 600 expressions of interest from doctors, nurses and administration workers.
It had planned to save £16million through the voluntary severance of 350 workers and the rest by not replacing a further 227 staff due to leave this year.
The board will now go back to the drawing board.
Meanwhile, proposed medical centres at Banchory, Braemar, Cullen, Ellon, Inverurie, Insch, Kintore, Keith and Rothes have been placed on a “hit list” of schemes that could be scaled down or abandoned to save £100million.
Last night, the company selling the Ultrakart – Bridge Valley Beverages – refused to say how much the trolleys cost.
An NHS Grampian spokes-woman said: “These beverage trolleys represent a major service improvement for patients at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
“They are equipped with hot-water boilers which enable staff to safely provide freshly-made beverages to each patient, therefore improving fluid intake.
“Additionally, these trolleys will be used for the daily breakfast service, which will ensure that patients receive appropriate food and beverages to suit their changing clinical need and individual preference.
“These trolleys help to ensure that we provide a safe, effective and efficient service to patients at optimum temperatures.” She added: “NHS Grampian is continuing to work towards savings of £34million but we also remain committed to providing the best level of person-centred care to our patients.
“The request to purchase these trolleys was subject to rigorous scrutiny before the contract was put out to tender, including a pilot project which encompassed direct feedback from service users and staff.”
The health board was criticised earlier this year after figures showed it had spent £42,000 on tea, coffee and biscuits for visitors and meetings.