Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 15 September 2021 (Hybrid)
15 Sep 2021 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
General Practitioner Services
The Conservative motion is very short and simple. It says:
“That the Parliament recognises that patients have a right to treatment by GPs, and calls on the Scottish Government to set a target date for a return to normal activity in practices, including face-to-face consultations.”
That chimes with what Douglas Ross said in the chamber on 1 September:
“People cannot see their general practitioner in person”.—[Official Report, 1 September 2021; c 30.]
That statement was inaccurate, as we heard this afternoon and have heard before. Some would suggest that it was a complete fabrication even.
It surprised me that, on the very same day, Dr Gulhane MSP—someone whom I greatly respect—accused the health secretary of “attacking general practitioners” and causing his colleagues “a lot of distress”. He went on to ask the First Minister to ensure that his colleagues did not leave their posts, which would be an “unmitigated disaster”. I agree with Dr Gulhane—it would be a disaster if GPs left. I therefore suggest that the Scottish Tories, including their leader, stop spreading mistruths about patients not being able to see their GPs.
In the same item of business
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SNP
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Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
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Con
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Maree Todd
SNP
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Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
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Maree Todd
SNP
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Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Yesterday, we debated the extent of the crisis that is being experienced by the NHS, with services struggling to meet demand and waiting lists at a record hi...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member is in her last minute.
Jackie Baillie
Lab
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Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
As my colleagues across the chamber have done, I start by paying tribute not just to our GPs but to their practice managers, their nurses and everyone who su...
Humza Yousaf
SNP
I have two points to make. As the member knows, Public Health Scotland published guidance, probably last week, that reduced the physical distancing measures....
Alex Cole-Hamilton
LD
I absolutely welcome the intervention of the BMA on that point. It is the interruption in the flow of face-to-face consultations that is causing a backlog an...
Sandesh Gulhane (Glasgow) (Con)
Con
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Stuart McMillan (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP)
SNP
The Conservative motion is very short and simple. It says: “That the Parliament recognises that patients have a right to treatment by GPs, and calls on the ...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
Con
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Stuart McMillan
SNP
I certainly disagree with Mr Carson—I am sure that he will not be surprised by that. In his comments earlier today and yesterday, Dr Gulhane indicated that ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member is winding up.
Stuart McMillan
SNP
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Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Like many members, I have been inundated with requests from constituents who want to return to face-to-face GP consultations. For the most part, people simpl...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
Will the member give way?
Carol Mochan
Lab
I will.
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member is closing.
Carol Mochan
Lab
Sorry, Presiding Officer. This should be a lesson about proactivity rather than reactivity. Let us not wait until something becomes a media scandal before w...
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
Con
I congratulate Carol Mochan—she gave a fantastic speech, as did all the other Opposition speakers. It seems that SNP members have no idea what is going on ou...
Bob Doris
SNP
Will the member give way?
Rachael Hamilton
Con
Will the member just allow me to finish my first paragraph? It is no wonder that I am contacted regularly, particularly by old and vulnerable constituents w...
Bob Doris
SNP
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