THE SNP was told it must “get a grip” by Scottish Labour today as it revealed NHS boards have splashed more than £50 million on external consultancy firms in five years.

Figures show that consultancy giant KMPG — fresh from netting over £600,000 in fees related to now abandoned plans for a National Care Service — coined-in £97,000 from Public Health Scotland.

NHS Highland, meanwhile, paid £205,692 to Conflict Management Plus Ltd, a specialist in “supporting employers with workplace relationship issues,” and The State Hospital — a high-security psychiatric hospital — shelled out £23,477.76 on media strategy.

The figures are part of a total of £53m spent by boards across the country between 2019/20 and 2023/24.

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: ”The SNP must get a grip on health boards’ spending and ensure that where money does go to external consultants, it can be clearly justified.”

Arguing the spend made up “a tiny fraction of the NHS budget,” the Scottish government said: “NHS Boards make decisions on their spending, including the use of external consultants and overseas travel, where this is necessary to provide the most effective services.”