Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2011
17 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Chronic Pain Services
It is a pleasure to join the debate. I congratulate Mary Scanlon on her motion and I salute the work that she has done with her cross-party group on chronic pain. It is great that Dorothy-Grace Elder is in the gallery today. I remember well that, when I was a much younger and less grey MSP, she tackled me about chronic pain. Being tackled by her is an experience that is not forgotten for a very long time. I thank her for making me aware of the issue and making me think about it.
It will come as no surprise to members that, when I hear Mary Scanlon speak of the trips to Bath and their cost, I cannot help but reflect on what such trips would mean for my constituents and those of Mary Scanlon. They are faced with trips that are bad enough as it is from the north coast of Sutherland or Caithness to Raigmore hospital or, for some treatments, Aberdeen royal infirmary at Foresterhill. The thought of chronic pain sufferers having to endure a four-hour or seven-hour vehicle journey each way is almost unthinkable. The journey itself and the discomfort of sitting in a vehicle for that length of time can only make the condition worse. On long journeys, young children ask repeatedly, “Are we there yet?” and we all get uncomfortable if we have to sit in the same position.
My plea is this: let us support absolutely Mary Scanlon by looking to see what more we can do locally. As the minister has heard me say on previous occasions, the potential of telemedicine is important. I think that the minister agrees that telemedicine enables us to do things differently and more cleverly. It could get rid of the necessity for people to travel to Inverness, never mind the dreadful prospect of having to go as far as Bath. I have pushed for us to use our existing NHS infrastructure to deliver telemedicine as and where we can, and I make no apology for raising again the issue of the Dunbar hospital in Thurso, whose future is, alas, somewhat uncertain. We do not quite know what NHS Highland is saying on the matter. Mary Scanlon, Rhoda Grant and I have raised the issue repeatedly, as has the Thurso and Wick Trades Council. The name John Deighan will not be unknown to any of the three of us. The trades council is voicing a very real concern.
By delivering advice and treatment for chronic pain at least partly via telemedicine, we could kill two birds with one stone, to use my surname. We could do something locally and we could help people. There is a great opportunity in using telemedicine to do that.
It will come as no surprise to members that, when I hear Mary Scanlon speak of the trips to Bath and their cost, I cannot help but reflect on what such trips would mean for my constituents and those of Mary Scanlon. They are faced with trips that are bad enough as it is from the north coast of Sutherland or Caithness to Raigmore hospital or, for some treatments, Aberdeen royal infirmary at Foresterhill. The thought of chronic pain sufferers having to endure a four-hour or seven-hour vehicle journey each way is almost unthinkable. The journey itself and the discomfort of sitting in a vehicle for that length of time can only make the condition worse. On long journeys, young children ask repeatedly, “Are we there yet?” and we all get uncomfortable if we have to sit in the same position.
My plea is this: let us support absolutely Mary Scanlon by looking to see what more we can do locally. As the minister has heard me say on previous occasions, the potential of telemedicine is important. I think that the minister agrees that telemedicine enables us to do things differently and more cleverly. It could get rid of the necessity for people to travel to Inverness, never mind the dreadful prospect of having to go as far as Bath. I have pushed for us to use our existing NHS infrastructure to deliver telemedicine as and where we can, and I make no apology for raising again the issue of the Dunbar hospital in Thurso, whose future is, alas, somewhat uncertain. We do not quite know what NHS Highland is saying on the matter. Mary Scanlon, Rhoda Grant and I have raised the issue repeatedly, as has the Thurso and Wick Trades Council. The name John Deighan will not be unknown to any of the three of us. The trades council is voicing a very real concern.
By delivering advice and treatment for chronic pain at least partly via telemedicine, we could kill two birds with one stone, to use my surname. We could do something locally and we could help people. There is a great opportunity in using telemedicine to do that.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan)
SNP
The next item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S3M-7853, in the name of Mary Scanlon, on chronic pain services in Scotland. The debate wil...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The previous debate on chronic pain in the Parliament was secured by Dorothy-Grace Elder in February 2002. Nine years on, now is a good time to take stock of...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I acknowledge the commitment to the issue of both Dorothy-Grace Elder and my colleague Mary Scanlon. As a pre-emptive strike, I beg a little flexibility from...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate. I thank Mary Scanlon for bringing the subject to the chamber and I acknowledge her long involvement...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
LD
It is a pleasure to join the debate. I congratulate Mary Scanlon on her motion and I salute the work that she has done with her cross-party group on chronic ...
Mary Scanlon
Con
I should bring some balance to the debate. Having quoted Dorothy-Grace Elder saying that NHS Highland was a disgrace in 2002, I should also say that we now h...
Jamie Stone
LD
The intervention is fair and I accept the point entirely. I do not wish to denigrate NHS Highland; I simply wish to question its policy decision on the futur...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I apologise to you, Presiding Officer, and to colleagues for not being able to stay for the whole debate. I have commitments elsewhere in the building.Mary S...
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP)
SNP
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on obtaining this members’ business debate. It is, perhaps, the last time that I will be able to contribute to parliamentary proc...
Mary Scanlon
Con
I asked for an audit to be carried out across Scotland to see whether we could justify having here in Scotland a specialised service similar to that which ex...
Ian McKee
SNP
Knowledge of the problem that faces us can never be ignored. Therefore, an audit of chronic pain and other conditions is desirable.Although I do not know off...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you, Dr McKee.13:00
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing the debate. She was right to pay tribute to Dorothy-Grace Elder, but Mary has taken up the role of being an advocate ...
The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
I congratulate Mary Scanlon on securing a debate on such an important topic as chronic pain. The issue has interested her since the establishment of the Parl...
Mary Scanlon
Con
The royal college and others have said that there is no clear referral pathway in Scotland, apart from through the managed clinical network in Glasgow. Consu...
Shona Robison
SNP
Mary Scanlon’s point about the patient pathway is important. The solution is a managed clinical network. Good evidence is emerging from Glasgow on the benefi...