Chamber
Plenary, 27 Jan 2005
27 Jan 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Infertility Services
Like Elaine Smith, I congratulate Mary Scanlon on bringing this important subject to the chamber and on the cogent case that she has laid before us. Perhaps she could ask her colleague David Davidson why, of those who have remained for the debate, only one is male—apart from you, Presiding Officer. There might be a psychological explanation for that; I am not sure.
In the annals of the Parliament, we can see that the issues that are raised in members' business debates are important. I think that you will accept, Presiding Officer—although I do not have statistics—that the debates are often about issues pertaining to the delivery of the health service. I say that as a serial attender, or perhaps even offender.
I am proud that the Parliament has this important facility to bring to the attention of ministers and their officials issues that can often be lost in the broad sweep of general legislation. The debates ensure that we can bring before the Parliament not only constituents' issues, but issues that transfer across geographical boundaries in Scotland and elsewhere. Such subjects are part and parcel of what we should be talking about in the Scottish Parliament. I believe that members' business debates are part of making this a genuine people's Parliament and ensuring that minorities are not forgotten. I say to the minister that addressing any slippage in the provision of adequate services to infertile couples is part of ensuring that those who experience infertility and wish to undergo fertility treatment are not forgotten in the broad health policy agenda, which we accept is complex. In Scotland, according to the figures that I have, 2,500 couples a year undergo fertility treatment and can access three cycles of treatment via the NHS.
A committee of senior doctors has recommended that the age limit for receiving treatment be raised from 38 to 40. I hope that the Executive will accept that and provide the necessary resources to assist people, against the backdrop of demographic change in Scotland and the fresh talent initiative. We should enable people who are here to have children and if they have difficulties we should do everything that we can to assist them.
We all know that, increasingly, women are postponing the possibility of pregnancy until their mid-30s or thereabouts. It might come as quite a shock to many people who have been using various forms of contraception to discover that conception is not as easy as it seems. Raising the age limit for treatment is important given the demographic trend in Scotland.
Over the many years in which I have been an elected representative, I have discovered that it takes a great deal of courage for couples to talk about infertility. Elaine Smith has had personal experience of the issue and she is right that the people affected find it difficult to talk, even to close family members. However, they have to talk to their general practitioner, be referred to a consultant and come to our surgeries—I have dealt with several cases over the years. We are asking them to discuss one of the most personal, emotional and private aspects of their lives. They tell us how they feel about the barbed comments that are sometimes made. For the sake of parliamentary propriety I will not go into those comments. Some are meant in a jocular fashion, but the hurt and the emotional instability that people experience, which affect their close relationships, cannot be underestimated. Their angst is immeasurable. From my years of conducting surgeries—I do not want to say how many years—I know that it is unusual for an MP or MSP to be in tears during a surgery. I am used to constituents being tearful, but some of the cases that have been placed before me can reduce me to tears.
I want the minister to examine the distribution of cases. Mary Scanlon talked about the waiting lists, figures for which are available. When I checked today, I noted that the waiting time in Grampian—the list was established in 1995—is five years. From 1987 onwards, when people in Moray came to me with fertility problems, they were referred to Ninewells hospital in Dundee, which meant that they incurred a great deal of travelling expenses and so on. The waiting time in Lothian is three years and in Glasgow it is probably one year. I sincerely hope that the minister will address the disparity in waiting times. I know that the minister is not only a politically caring individual, but a personally caring individual.
In the annals of the Parliament, we can see that the issues that are raised in members' business debates are important. I think that you will accept, Presiding Officer—although I do not have statistics—that the debates are often about issues pertaining to the delivery of the health service. I say that as a serial attender, or perhaps even offender.
I am proud that the Parliament has this important facility to bring to the attention of ministers and their officials issues that can often be lost in the broad sweep of general legislation. The debates ensure that we can bring before the Parliament not only constituents' issues, but issues that transfer across geographical boundaries in Scotland and elsewhere. Such subjects are part and parcel of what we should be talking about in the Scottish Parliament. I believe that members' business debates are part of making this a genuine people's Parliament and ensuring that minorities are not forgotten. I say to the minister that addressing any slippage in the provision of adequate services to infertile couples is part of ensuring that those who experience infertility and wish to undergo fertility treatment are not forgotten in the broad health policy agenda, which we accept is complex. In Scotland, according to the figures that I have, 2,500 couples a year undergo fertility treatment and can access three cycles of treatment via the NHS.
A committee of senior doctors has recommended that the age limit for receiving treatment be raised from 38 to 40. I hope that the Executive will accept that and provide the necessary resources to assist people, against the backdrop of demographic change in Scotland and the fresh talent initiative. We should enable people who are here to have children and if they have difficulties we should do everything that we can to assist them.
We all know that, increasingly, women are postponing the possibility of pregnancy until their mid-30s or thereabouts. It might come as quite a shock to many people who have been using various forms of contraception to discover that conception is not as easy as it seems. Raising the age limit for treatment is important given the demographic trend in Scotland.
Over the many years in which I have been an elected representative, I have discovered that it takes a great deal of courage for couples to talk about infertility. Elaine Smith has had personal experience of the issue and she is right that the people affected find it difficult to talk, even to close family members. However, they have to talk to their general practitioner, be referred to a consultant and come to our surgeries—I have dealt with several cases over the years. We are asking them to discuss one of the most personal, emotional and private aspects of their lives. They tell us how they feel about the barbed comments that are sometimes made. For the sake of parliamentary propriety I will not go into those comments. Some are meant in a jocular fashion, but the hurt and the emotional instability that people experience, which affect their close relationships, cannot be underestimated. Their angst is immeasurable. From my years of conducting surgeries—I do not want to say how many years—I know that it is unusual for an MP or MSP to be in tears during a surgery. I am used to constituents being tearful, but some of the cases that have been placed before me can reduce me to tears.
I want the minister to examine the distribution of cases. Mary Scanlon talked about the waiting lists, figures for which are available. When I checked today, I noted that the waiting time in Grampian—the list was established in 1995—is five years. From 1987 onwards, when people in Moray came to me with fertility problems, they were referred to Ninewells hospital in Dundee, which meant that they incurred a great deal of travelling expenses and so on. The waiting time in Lothian is three years and in Glasgow it is probably one year. I sincerely hope that the minister will address the disparity in waiting times. I know that the minister is not only a politically caring individual, but a personally caring individual.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The final item of business today is a members' business debate on motion S2M-1852, in the name of Mary Scanlon, on infertility services in Scotland. The deba...
Motion debated,
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I am grateful to secure the first debate on infertility in the Parliament and I thank those members who have stayed on for it. Coincidentally, there was an a...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Mary Scanlon for bringing this debate to the chamber. I am pleased that the Parliament is debating infertility, as there is no doubt that it desperat...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
Like Elaine Smith, I congratulate Mary Scanlon on bringing this important subject to the chamber and on the cogent case that she has laid before us. Perhaps ...
Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab):
Lab
I join others in congratulating Mary Scanlon on securing this debate. Over the years, she and I have disagreed on many health-related issues, but I genuinely...
Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green):
Green
I echo what other members have said. I thank Mary Scanlon for initiating an important debate. In my professional career as a doctor, I worked in community pa...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
As I listened to Mary Scanlon's speech, I was watching the reactions of members around the chamber. That is one of the reasons why I have chosen to speak in ...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Rhona Brankin):
Lab
I thank Mary Scanlon for giving us the opportunity to speak about infertility services and to review the guidance of the expert advisory group on infertility...
Mary Scanlon:
Con
The minister speaks about resources being available. It is my understanding that, following the EAGISS report in 1999, health boards were expected to impleme...
Rhona Brankin:
Lab
I can tell Mary Scanlon that, as part of the consultation, what we need to establish is why services have developed so patchily across Scotland. Is it to do ...
Meeting closed at 17:55.