Meeting of the Parliament 14 June 2023
I appreciate that the SNP has other things to be worried about this week, but Scottish Labour remains firmly focused on the priorities of Scottish people. That is why we are debating the issue of increasing waiting lists, which is impacting so many across the country. Labour was required to bring this important debate to the chamber, as the current Government tries to hide from the necessary business of the day. The Government needs to listen, and to act.
One in seven Scots find themselves on waiting lists today. Many of them have been waiting for months, if not years. Many, like the countless constituents who have been contacting me, are waiting with insufferable pain. Tragically, many have died while waiting.
The Scottish Government can point to the pandemic as a global factor that caused unavoidable challenges; predictably, the cabinet secretary did so. Indeed, we do not disagree—we know that the pandemic exacerbated issues with waiting lists. However, the reality is that it is disingenuous and plainly incorrect to suggest that it was not an issue before, and it is disingenuous and plainly wrong to say today that we are making good progress. I had been told to expect better from this cabinet secretary.
Long waiting lists predate the pandemic. They are a result of Governments avoiding difficult decisions; in Scotland, that is in plain sight. They are a result of a Government that is tired, after 16 years, and that has failed services, staff and patients. Why? To push its own agenda. Let me be clear that our NHS workforce is incredible. The service that they continue to strive to provide daily is of the highest standard, but they are being badly let down and they deserve a lot better.
In relation to debates such as this, we all look at the correspondence that we receive from constituents, who feel helpless. They are in pain, they are suffering and they cannot live the lives that they want to live with their children, friends and families. They feel guilty for being unable to do the things that they used to be able to do, because they are sitting on waiting lists and they have no indication of when their time will come. That is the unfortunate reality of SNP Scotland.
The SNP members at the back of the chamber will not like to hear this, but they know as well as we do that it is a reality; they receive correspondence from constituents, too. Do they scrutinise, or do they accept the excuses? Do they push those on the SNP front benches to do something, or do they clap to drown out the reality?