Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2024
We have reached a critical point in our country’s health. We are seeing growing demand on our health and social care services, which needs to be addressed, alongside an improvement in service performance. The growing demand, which is based on our poor population health, reduces the wellbeing of Scotland and impacts on the sustainability of our services.
The Government is clear that the institution of the national health service in Scotland and the values that underpin its work are a matter of national pride. I also recognise the vital role of the social care system in supporting people to manage their health in their communities and to live well. The principles of a health service being for everyone, owned by the people and free at the point of delivery are sacrosanct. Any consideration of abandoning those fundamental values lies beyond a red line that we will not cross.
However, although those principles will not change, Scotland has changed. The NHS was established 76 years ago to address the health challenges of its time. Now, we live longer, medicines can do much more, technology has transformed the way that we live and our lifestyles have changed. The treatment of people in hospitals when they are ill is only a small part of modern healthcare.
Although the Government is making progress in addressing the challenges of waiting lists, our health and social care services are hard pressed to meet service demand. Today, in good faith, I seek to open a debate of openness on how we can reform and improve our health services and on how we can collectively deliver a transformed system that is fit for the health challenges that we face.
I am a pragmatist. We have a clear vision for the direction of reform, which we will shortly outline, and a programme of improvements that is already under way.