HEALTH boards in the West of Scotland have been accused of spending more than £5million on taxis in the past five years.

Central Scotland SNP MSP Alex Neil obtained the shock figures after submitting a freedom of information request.

Today he said he was "astonished" so much was being spent on taxis at a time when accident and emergency units were being axed.

Between the financial years 2001/02 and 2005/06, Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board spent £4.9m on taxis.

And since 2005 a further £908,500 has been spent in the area it inherited from Argyll and Clyde.

Mr Neil said: "I am astonished that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde can have spent over £5m on taxi fares in the last five years.

"People will be asking questions about this, particularly when the health board is in the process of shutting accident and emergency departments. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are far from alone."

According to the figures obtained by the MSP, NHS Ayrshire and Arran spent £1.2m on taxis in the last five years and NHS Forth Valley spent almost £1m.

NHS National Services Scotland, which oversees areas such as the blood transfusion service, spent a further £602,000 on taxi contracts.

Mr Neil added: "Where do the NHS priorities lie. Are they investing public funds in health care or on sending this money the way of cabbies up and down the country.

"With there being a further 11 health boards, I think it is probable we are looking at over £10m of taxpayers money being handed from the NHS to taxi firms.

"NHS Scotland now has say how much they have spent in total."

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde insisted they only uses taxis where appropriate.

She added: "It can be cheaper and quicker to transfer urgent documents, test results and patient records by taxi rather than courier.

"Taxis can also be more cost-effective than the NHS running a fleet of in-house vans or cars, although a limited number of vehicles are available for routine, bulk deliveries.

"Additionally, taxis can sometimes be used when patients need to be transported for non-urgent care from home or between NHS sites when alternatives offered by public transport, the national Patient Transport Service or volunteer drivers are unsuitable or unavailable."