Meeting of the Parliament 18 February 2020
I, too, thank the Health and Sport Committee for a very interesting report, but I concur with my colleague Brian Whittle, who said that we have been here before. I can count at least four debates in 13 years—but none in a health minister’s debate time—in which we have talked about exactly the same themes.
There are two very specific challenges. The first is translation of common sense into action that is valued and followed across the population. The second challenge is in inculcation of a different culture in respect of approaching our lives from a health and wellbeing perspective. Both are proving to be elusive—and have been for many years. Despite all the warm words and cross-party agreement on so many aspects of the debate, there has been very considerable difficulty in making the real changes that are required. We must be asking ourselves why we have, so far, been unable to turn agreement into real action.
I fully understand why investment is so important—not just in financial terms but for wellbeing. David Stewart mentioned prevention, which is critical. Increased financing of link workers, who are trained to assist with physical exercise or other opportunities in our communities, is welcome—not least because they can establish a positive link to ensure that the relationship between good health and wellbeing is embedded in their communities. That should build on the 900,000 people who attend the 13,000 sports groups in Scotland, and it should assist primary care providers in being the support that many young families require. That could be about advice about diet, help with walking children to school, or information about cycle lanes or about joining clubs and societies. We should not forget how important that is for many young people.
As members know, social prescribing has been supported in Scotland for the past 30 years. In 2016, the Government began investing in community link workers, starting with work in general practices—in particular, in socially deprived areas. That sends an important message. As Brain Whittle mentioned, it is increasingly difficult for GPs to ensure that they can carry out their work because of closures or downgrading of GP surgeries. There is also a rural aspect that is crucial.
Volunteering has come up many times in the education brief and in the cross-party group on sport. Several members who are here today have attended those meetings. Volunteering is critical to how our communities survive and thrive. We have an army of wonderful volunteers, but they are not always channelled in the right direction and do not always feel welcome, because bureaucracy gets in the way and they are not valued.
Trust, which George Adam mentioned, is essential but must be underpinned by communities being able to understand what is required from a holistic approach. If we do not have a holistic and cross-party approach, we will keep going around in circles. I know that politics is structured around portfolios that are based on certain topics, but there must be a joined-up approach that makes it easier for people to see what that holistic appeal is. We are not good at that, yet.
There are three things that have been quite powerful to me in my time in Parliament. I remember my first Education and Skills Committee meeting in May 2007. The topic was school meals and we listened to evidence from Hull in England. There had been huge success there in ensuring that youngsters were taking up school meals through the youngsters being involved in setting menus and learning what is important about using locally sourced products. We in Scotland are still not good at using the huge advantage that we have in respect of our local produce. The more that people are involved in decision making, and the more evidence we hear from places where it has worked properly, the better we will be.
It is also important that there be better co-ordination between public bodies, local authorities, arm’s-length external organisations and the general public, so that we can take advantage of the diverse skills that are on offer, because we are still not using them as we should. That is a challenge for Parliament, so we need to do something about it.
We cannot stand still any longer, and we cannot just go around in circles. We must have collective will, trust and the ability to ask and answer tough questions.
15:35