Hansard

I have been moved by the debate so far. I did not know Gordon personally but, from hearing the words of his colleagues and other members in the chamber, I would say that he was a remarkable individual. In particular, I commend Kezia Dugdale for her speech and for quoting Gordon’s comments at the end of it. As someone who is now obviously “superhuman”, I expect the chamber to listen even more carefully.

MND is devastating not only for the person who is diagnosed with it but for the husband, the wife, the mum, the dad, the son, the friend and the good neighbour—people who do not recognise themselves as carers but who look after someone in their family or a friend who has that disability.

Without the right support, the personal cost of caring can be high, with many carers experiencing poor health and disadvantage. That was brought into stark reality for me when I was waiting to collect a prescription at a local chemist’s just a few weeks ago. I overheard an MND nurse explaining to the pharmacist that, normally, the patient’s wife would collect his prescription but she was having a crisis that day, so the nurse had stepped in to offer some practical support. I often think about that lady and try to imagine what her life is like as her husband’s prognosis gets worse, as the number of activities that they would normally share starts to decrease and as she has to take on additional responsibility for his care and help him with the most basic things such as dressing, feeding and drinking. I imagine that, at times, the stress must be unbearable for that individual.

Gordon spoke of carers making his life not only liveable but worth living. In his articles, he referred to carers as his arms and legs—his independence. I am pleased that, as a result of his campaign, carers are now paid a living wage. In the past, the Scottish Conservatives argued for a national carers break guarantee to be introduced, which would guarantee a fully funded flexible week of respite for any carer who cared for more than 50 hours a week. Previously, there was no provision in place for local authorities to provide time away for unpaid carers, although respite is consistently identified by carers themselves as the most helpful form of support.

In early February 2016, the Parliament passed the landmark Carers (Scotland) Bill. As a consequence of a former colleague’s amendment to the bill, local authorities will provide short breaks for those who look after others. The new legislation will see unpaid carers given much-needed time away, bringing benefits for quality of life, wellbeing and family relationships. As someone who has a carer who looks after them—and who could not be here without her care—I know how important that will be for all those with such a disability.

A person’s care plan needs to be agreed as soon as possible. It will involve all parts of local services, including the NHS. Even with council cuts, we must seek to protect services and to make sure that they work for each family and each individual.

Gordon’s life was taken far too soon by this cruel, horrible disease. His drive to fight for the rights of others will be a lasting legacy that is felt across not only this nation, but the whole of the UK and much further afield. As sufferers and carers, we thank Gordon for what he has done, and we pass on our deepest sympathy to his husband and family.