Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 28 September 2016
28 Sep 2016 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Local National Health Services
In my first speech in this Parliament, I spoke about my belief that the Parliament has been at its best when it has found common ground and when members across the chamber have come together to do what is right by their constituents and the country—when, whether on land reform or the smoking ban, parties have united in common cause.
This afternoon, members from all parties once again have the opportunity to put aside their party allegiance and political partisanship for the sake of their constituents. We all have the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with patient groups across Scotland who are fighting to save valued local NHS services. When we speak as individuals, none of us does so as powerfully as the collective voice of this Parliament. That is why I strongly believe that we can and should speak with one voice when it comes to protecting and defending the services that our constituents rely on.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-01677, in the name of Anas Sarwar, on protecting local national health services. 14:40
Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
In my first speech in this Parliament, I spoke about my belief that the Parliament has been at its best when it has found common ground and when members acro...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Would the member say that we should never close any hospital or facility? Surely we should put more effort into preventative spend that will help people in t...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
Of course we should put more money into preventative spend, but John Mason’s intervention is interesting. He had an opportunity to intervene to say that he b...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
Is the member saying that for those service change proposals that are major and that will come to me, I should say at the moment whether I support them or no...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
What is silly is the cabinet secretary’s intervention. If the cabinet secretary opposes, as she said she did prior to the election, any of these service chan...
Shona Robison
SNP
I will make the difficult decisions on proposals for major service changes that come to me, but what I will not do is prejudge them. I have not seen the clin...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I thank the cabinet secretary for that intervention because it is actually very helpful. She is saying that she might support proposals to close services and...
Shona Robison
SNP
Anas Sarwar has just made a factually incorrect statement. No decision has been made yet on whether what will happen at Lightburn will constitute major servi...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I am happy to pass to the cabinet secretary the board paper, if she has not read it, that makes it clear that the board regards the change as a minor service...
Alex Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I am happy to give way to the cabinet secretary. I hope that he will use the opportunity to say that he will support the motion.
Alex Neil
SNP
I am not the cabinet secretary. The member needs to get his facts right. I am the ex-cabinet secretary. On Monklands, the member said earlier that everybody...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
The SNP is not speaking with one voice. It tells communities that their hospitals are safe and says in the chamber that it has not made a decision yet. That ...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I am sorry; I did not see him. I reach out to Ivan McKee, who has made commitments to fight to save Lightburn hospital. If he is sincere in that commitment, ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
The debate provides a timely opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of health and social care staff across the whole of Scotland; to reflec...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary give way?
Shona Robison
SNP
In a minute; I know that Anas Sarwar is keen. Should any of the final proposals be designated as major, the board must undertake formal public consultation ...
Anas Sarwar
Lab
The cabinet secretary is right. I am keen.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I beg your pardon, Mr Sarwar—just a minute.
Anas Sarwar
Lab
I am keen to protect NHS services. The independent SHC’s guidance clearly states that ultimate responsibility lies with ministers. If the cabinet secretary c...
Shona Robison
SNP
The process is established and robust, and is informed by the work of the SHC. When I come to make the decisions, I want to know what the SHC thinks. When th...
Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you very much for taking an intervention, cabinet secretary. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, in its consultation proposals for the IRH birthing unit, t...
Shona Robison
SNP
I look forward to having as much public engagement as is possible, including public meetings and other ways of engaging. I think that that is important. I r...
Elaine Smith (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Shona Robison
SNP
Briefly.
Elaine Smith
Lab
Having just said what she did about public consultation, will the cabinet secretary comment on the fact that trauma orthopaedics is being removed? I consider...
Shona Robison
SNP
I have just explained that that is an interim solution based on patient safety, but the longer-term plans are a major service change that has to come to me. ...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
Shona Robison
SNP
Not just now. I want to be clear that the Government has been given an assurance that the proposed changes relate only to cleft surgery. Nonetheless, they r...