Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 21 December 2023
21 Dec 2023 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Marie Curie (75th Anniversary)
Mr Doris makes a good point about who is the right person to speak to, which I recognised when I was on the back benches. I will take that away and make sure that we have absolute clarity on which minister is the appropriate one to contact.
I will start my last sentence again. We want people to receive care where they feel most comfortable, wherever possible. For many, but not all, that will be at home, supported by their family, friends and care staff. For some, it will be in a hospice. I again thank all who work in Marie Curie for the commitment and dedication that they show each day, often in extremely challenging and upsetting circumstances. I offer my personal thanks for all that they do on every day of the year.
I conclude with another Marie Curie quote, which I will certainly consider over the Christmas break:
“One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done.”
On that note, I wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a good new year when it comes.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
We are in the home straight. The final item of business is a members’ business debate on S6M-09975, in the name of Bob Doris, on 75 years of Marie Curie. T...
Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP)
SNP
It is a privilege to lead the final debate in 2023 of Scotland’s Parliament to congratulate Marie Curie on celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. That ...
Sue Webber (Lothian) (Con)
Con
It does not seem that long since I hosted the round-table session on the dying in the margins study by Marie Curie and the University of Glasgow. That was ba...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Bob Doris for securing the final members’ business debate of the year. I reiterate my thanks to Marie Curie as it celebrates 75 years of palliative c...
Bob Doris
SNP
I thank Jackie Baillie for giving way, partly because that allows me to place on record my thanks to colleagues for signing the motion that allowed this deba...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
On this occasion, I am happy to agree absolutely with Bob Doris. There is a need for something now to help hospices over this hurdle but, as Mr Doris entirel...
Evelyn Tweed (Stirling) (SNP)
SNP
I join my colleagues in congratulating Marie Curie on its 75th anniversary. I am grateful to Bob Doris for raising that important milestone in a members’ bus...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I want to start by paying tribute to and thanking Bob Doris for bringing this debate—the final debate before recess—to Parliament and for his work chairing t...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you, Mr Briggs. 14:14
Gordon MacDonald (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP)
SNP
I, too, thank Bob Doris for bringing the motion to Parliament for debate and Marie Curie for its 75 years of providing palliative care across Scotland and th...
Bob Doris
SNP
The member is making a crucial point. Does he agree that my point about the weaker support networks in deprived communities and the more numerous financial v...
Gordon MacDonald
SNP
I totally agree with that, and I will come to that point in two seconds. I welcome the announcement in the report that Marie Curie will commission research ...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Bob Doris for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Everyone deserves as pain-free and peaceful a death as possible, surrounded by those wh...
Paul Sweeney (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
On the point about funding, the member will recognise the immense public goodwill for hospice care across Scotland. That was exemplified by the efforts to re...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Carol Mochan, I can give you the time back.
Carol Mochan
Lab
That is a very well-made point. We have addressed how much Scottish people value hospices, and they would do everything that they can to ensure that that fun...
Ben Macpherson (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to speak in the debate. I, too, will start by paying tribute to Bob Doris for bringing the motion to...
The Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health (Jenni Minto)
SNP
I, too, thank Bob Doris for lodging the motion for the debate, and I thank members in the chamber for their contributions. Mr Doris has been a champion of ou...
Miles Briggs
Con
One of the key issues that we need to address is the fact that, before health and social care integration, a chief executive’s letter provided the certainty ...
Jenni Minto
SNP
I note Miles Briggs’s intervention. The care service does not sit within my remit, but I will discuss that with Ms Todd. The aim is to publish the new stra...
Bob Doris
SNP
I apologise for interrupting the minister. I am listening carefully to what she is saying. She mentioned that the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill is Ms...
Jenni Minto
SNP
Mr Doris makes a good point about who is the right person to speak to, which I recognised when I was on the back benches. I will take that away and make sure...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
That concludes the debate. I take the opportunity to be the last to wish all in the chamber and in the gallery—in particular, all those with a connection to ...