Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 22 September 2010
22 Sep 2010 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
E-health
I am pleased to take part in what I consider to be an important debate that could help to unlock exciting developments throughout Scotland. I echo Christine Grahame’s comments about the potential little gems—she is absolutely right. I also appreciate her remarks—I have a degree of sympathy for them—about whether those of us who have attended four committee meetings this week and last week and have spoken in chamber debates both weeks are here in body, spirit and mind, but for this debate I am here on all counts, because telehealth is such an important issue.
It is true to say that when the Health and Sport Committee held its inquiry, every member expressed varying degrees of concern and their frustration that the Government was not doing more to develop an area that has great potential for delivering much-improved care and more targeted and efficient ways of spending public money. It is an understatement to say that there were “varying degrees of concern”, because I think that we were hugely frustrated and hugely concerned. However, in this debate I want to tell Parliament why I have added my voice to support for a high-tech eye care initiative that is currently being piloted in Fife and why I shall join all those who are campaigning for it to be made available throughout Scotland.
I hope that the minister is listening carefully, because when I visited Queen Margaret hospital in Dunfermline in August to see the new electronic referral with digital images system, I was hugely impressed. The system has drastically reduced referral times by taking electronic photographs of people’s eyes at high street opticians and instantly e-mailing them to the ophthalmology department at Queen Margaret hospital—60 per cent of opticians in Fife are now taking part in the process. It is the only system of its kind in the United Kingdom, and eye specialists say that it has revolutionised the way that people are referred to eye clinics and has already saved the sight of patients who required immediate treatment. However, calls to extend the technology to other Scottish health boards have highlighted a major dilemma in the current economic crisis: whether to freeze spending now or invest to save money later. The Scottish Government will consider that dilemma further at its programme board meeting in December. I ask the minister to please take a special interest in those deliberations.
NHS Fife has played a pioneering role in tackling preventable sight loss by drastically reducing the time between initial examination and specialist follow-up. Already, cases requiring immediate treatment have been identified. One gentleman was only hours away from a stroke, and his life was saved as a consequence of the use of this technology. I press the cabinet secretary—or rather the minister; I have just promoted Shona Robison—to introduce the system in other health board areas. We are on the verge of having a truly world-class eye care system in Scotland. We must not step back from that. Investing now will pay dividends later and may save the sight of many people.
Dr Roshini Sanders, who is a consultant ophthalmologist, is one of the lead consultants at Queen Margaret hospital. She told me that the electronic referral system with attached digital images allows them speedily to identify patients who require sight-saving treatment while also recognising long-standing pathology that requires hospital attendance. It also ensures that patients are sent to the most appropriate specialist clinic at first visit, thus giving a one-stop service at hospital. I am so glad that I live in Fife, with this service on the doorstep. Overall, the redesign of electronic communications makes excellent use of hospital resources for patients, ophthalmologists and optometrists.
A constituent of mine, James Taylor, a Lochgelly man who was featured on the front page of the Central Fife Times and Advertiser—that is my press release: I am taking a second bite of the cherry—was seen in hospital just 24 hours after referral by his optometrist at the specialist macular clinic. His digital images clearly showed treatable wet macular degeneration.
It is true to say that when the Health and Sport Committee held its inquiry, every member expressed varying degrees of concern and their frustration that the Government was not doing more to develop an area that has great potential for delivering much-improved care and more targeted and efficient ways of spending public money. It is an understatement to say that there were “varying degrees of concern”, because I think that we were hugely frustrated and hugely concerned. However, in this debate I want to tell Parliament why I have added my voice to support for a high-tech eye care initiative that is currently being piloted in Fife and why I shall join all those who are campaigning for it to be made available throughout Scotland.
I hope that the minister is listening carefully, because when I visited Queen Margaret hospital in Dunfermline in August to see the new electronic referral with digital images system, I was hugely impressed. The system has drastically reduced referral times by taking electronic photographs of people’s eyes at high street opticians and instantly e-mailing them to the ophthalmology department at Queen Margaret hospital—60 per cent of opticians in Fife are now taking part in the process. It is the only system of its kind in the United Kingdom, and eye specialists say that it has revolutionised the way that people are referred to eye clinics and has already saved the sight of patients who required immediate treatment. However, calls to extend the technology to other Scottish health boards have highlighted a major dilemma in the current economic crisis: whether to freeze spending now or invest to save money later. The Scottish Government will consider that dilemma further at its programme board meeting in December. I ask the minister to please take a special interest in those deliberations.
NHS Fife has played a pioneering role in tackling preventable sight loss by drastically reducing the time between initial examination and specialist follow-up. Already, cases requiring immediate treatment have been identified. One gentleman was only hours away from a stroke, and his life was saved as a consequence of the use of this technology. I press the cabinet secretary—or rather the minister; I have just promoted Shona Robison—to introduce the system in other health board areas. We are on the verge of having a truly world-class eye care system in Scotland. We must not step back from that. Investing now will pay dividends later and may save the sight of many people.
Dr Roshini Sanders, who is a consultant ophthalmologist, is one of the lead consultants at Queen Margaret hospital. She told me that the electronic referral system with attached digital images allows them speedily to identify patients who require sight-saving treatment while also recognising long-standing pathology that requires hospital attendance. It also ensures that patients are sent to the most appropriate specialist clinic at first visit, thus giving a one-stop service at hospital. I am so glad that I live in Fife, with this service on the doorstep. Overall, the redesign of electronic communications makes excellent use of hospital resources for patients, ophthalmologists and optometrists.
A constituent of mine, James Taylor, a Lochgelly man who was featured on the front page of the Central Fife Times and Advertiser—that is my press release: I am taking a second bite of the cherry—was seen in hospital just 24 hours after referral by his optometrist at the specialist macular clinic. His digital images clearly showed treatable wet macular degeneration.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-7015, in the name of Christine Grahame, on the Health and Sport Committee’s report, “Clinical portal and ...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Going by my helpful note from the clerks, I fear that I have 13 minutes for this speech. A pattern appears to be emerging of my having extensive time to spea...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I ask members not to follow the convener’s example by not using up their allocated time, because we have a little time available.I call Shona Robison, who ha...
The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
I welcome this debate on the important role of information technology in improving the safety, effectiveness and efficiency of care. I hope that I will be ab...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD)
LD
Will the 111 telephone number be utilisable in Scotland?
Shona Robison
SNP
We have said that we will look at the evidence on how the number rolls out, what it looks like and some of the learning from that before giving further consi...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Why did the minister decide not to set a health improvement, efficiency, access and treatment target for telehealth, as recommended in paragraph 87 of the co...
Shona Robison
SNP
As I am beginning to outline, we have decided to move forward on a phased basis, focusing on the areas that I have identified. Rather than ask boards to do e...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the debate. As the Health and Sport Committee’s convener suggested, it might appear to be a dry subject, but it is also a very important debate. I ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
You have a minute and a half more.
Dr Simpson
Lab
Telehealth is moving forward, but rather slowly. We have four systems—telestroke, telepaediatrics, mental health and long-term condition management—but, as M...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
Much is said about consensus in the Parliament, although it tends to be lacking in many debates. However, the considerable consensus in committees—particular...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
LD
The motion asks us to note the contents of the Health and Sport Committee’s report, which I do with great interest. I, too, thank the members of the committe...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan)
SNP
We now move to the open debate. I can allow members up to seven minutes each.15:23
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP)
SNP
As a member of the Health and Sport Committee, I am pleased to speak about our report. I begin by thanking our committee support team for their hard work in ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Wind up, please.
Ian McKee
SNP
In summary, we could be on the brink of huge and game-changing developments in patient care, but only if we prepare carefully and fund sensibly. I commend th...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to take part in what I consider to be an important debate that could help to unlock exciting developments throughout Scotland. I echo Christine ...
Mary Scanlon
Con
Does the member agree that the public-private partnership between optometrists and the NHS is one of the best in Scotland and puts patients at the heart of t...
Helen Eadie
Lab
I am not in a position to evaluate that, but if Mary Scanlon says that it is, she must be right.Mr Taylor’s digital images clearly showed terrible wet macula...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Wind up, please.
Helen Eadie
Lab
I make no apologies to anyone in the chamber for providing an intense case study, as it illustrates very well how telehealth can magically make a difference ...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I join others in acknowledging the painstaking work of the Health and Sport Committee and its clerks that has led to the comprehensive report that we are dis...
Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP)
SNP
I will not offer another definition of “clinical portal”. Members have provided several definitions and I suspect that the members who still do not understan...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
The subject matter of this debate is the use of technology, but the committee’s report is really in two distinct parts. The first part considers a single pat...
Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD)
LD
I, too, am pleased to participate in this afternoon’s debate. I congratulate the members of the Health and Sport Committee on what their convener celebrated ...
Dave Thompson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
As I represent Scotland’s largest parliamentary region, which contains hundreds of large and small communities in remote glens, peninsulas and islands, I am ...
Jeremy Purvis
LD
I am sure that the member is aware of the pathfinder north project under which schools got broadband connections. The project was fully delivered by the prev...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman)
Lab
You are in your last minute, Mr Thompson.
Dave Thompson
SNP
Okay. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Mr Purvis will find that the Scottish Government has done many things with its limited powers, but that does not change t...