Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 May 2018
17 May 2018 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Veterans (Health and Wellbeing)
As I said in my statement, Scotland’s 10-year mental health strategy, which was launched last year, reinforces our commitment to the armed forces covenant and includes a range of actions to improve care services and support for people with a mental health problem, including veterans and their families. Obviously, some of that work is already under way.
The recommendations on the process going forward are being looked at in detail. The mental health action plan is a key element, and we will take that forward through the network on veterans’ health, which I think is the best forum to use. It is for the network to set out the timeframe, ensuring that it has enough time to make the action plan as good as it can be and that it addresses the recommendations and the issues that have been raised in the report.
It is worth pointing out that specialist services of a very high quality are already provided. Combat Stress provides a 24-hour helpline for veterans or their family members who need to talk about mental health. That is a very good service that is provided by a first-class organisation.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a statement by Shona Robison on the Scottish veterans commissioner’s report on veterans’ health and wellbeing. The cabinet secre...
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
I thank the Scottish veterans commissioner, Eric Fraser, for the work that he has done in producing his recent report “Veterans’ Health & Wellbeing: A Di...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow about 20 minutes for questions, after which we must mo...
Maurice Corry (West Scotland) (Con)
Con
I thank the cabinet secretary for advance sight of her statement. I join her in thanking Eric Fraser, the Scottish veterans commissioner, for his latest repo...
Shona Robison
SNP
I welcome Eric Fraser to the public gallery—I have just been made aware that he is there—and I hope that he finds the proceedings interesting. Maurice Corry...
Maurice Corry
Con
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I declare that I am a veteran.
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you very much.
Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I join the cabinet secretary in recognising the contribution of our armed forces community, our veterans and their families. I welcome Eric Fraser’s report a...
Shona Robison
SNP
As I said in my statement, Scotland’s 10-year mental health strategy, which was launched last year, reinforces our commitment to the armed forces covenant an...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Eleven members wish to ask questions. I ask for succinct questions and answers that reciprocate.
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP)
SNP
I thank the Scottish veterans commissioner, Eric Fraser, for another valuable report, which this time is on the health and wellbeing of veterans, and I thank...
Shona Robison
SNP
The awareness-raising campaign is an opportunity to make veterans and their families aware of the range of services that I talked about in my statement and t...
Edward Mountain (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I declare that I am a veteran. The report identifies that many servicemen have been exposed to “combat, harsh physical conditions, stressful situations and...
Shona Robison
SNP
That is a bit outwith the scope of my statement, but I will certainly get the relevant minister to write to Edward Mountain on that subject. I agree with Ed...
Graeme Dey (Angus South) (SNP)
SNP
My question follows on from that answer. Does the cabinet secretary agree that, if veterans are to receive appropriate care and the support that they need, i...
Shona Robison
SNP
We have been pressing United Kingdom Government ministers for some time on the need to improve the process of transferring the medical records of personnel w...
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
I also welcome the constructive and positive report from the Scottish veterans commissioner. I welcome him to the gallery. In my postbag, I have a number of...
Shona Robison
SNP
Yes, and a range of evidence-based treatments are available and can be tailored to the patient’s needs for PTSD that has been determined by clinicians, based...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
Green
The commissioner’s report highlights early service leavers who leave the military voluntarily before completing the minimum four-year term as being at partic...
Shona Robison
SNP
It is important to note that early leavers, as Mark Ruskell describes them, are a particularly vulnerable group, and the right services have to be provided f...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
It is a source of collective shame that veterans are more likely than most to join the ranks of our homeless population. Given the causal link between mental...
Shona Robison
SNP
Alex Cole-Hamilton has pointed to a particularly vulnerable group of veterans. What I have laid out here today is our response on health and social care supp...
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
Does the cabinet secretary accept that, although employment is not specifically about health, it impacts on and affects people’s health? I accept that it is ...
Shona Robison
SNP
Keith Brown is the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, and he has overall responsibility in Government for veterans. He gave a full update to ...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
Does the cabinet secretary agree that, in delivering the best treatment, care and support for our veterans, we should be cognisant of the Scottish Associatio...
Shona Robison
SNP
The Scottish Government acknowledges the power of sport and its impact on our lives and on the lives of injured servicemen and women. Over the coming weeks, ...
Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
SNP
Can the cabinet secretary provide details on what is being done to ensure that physically injured veterans benefit from the latest technology in order to all...
Shona Robison
SNP
In my statement, I talked about the investments that have been made in prosthetics services to ensure that cases are turned around quickly and that high-qual...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Members will note my interest in and personal experience of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Other members have rightly raised questions about menta...
Shona Robison
SNP
That is an issue that we would expect the new mental health action plan to consider, but I will certainly ensure that that message is passed on, so that that...