Hansard

I am grateful for the privilege of speaking in the debate, to Roz McCall for bringing the motion and to Dr Sandesh Gulhane for the speech that he just made.

As many members will know, James Bundy works in my office, and I am delighted to welcome him and his mum, Selena, to the public gallery. I am going to give my voice to James—these are his words. He says:

“My family and I want to thank all MSPs who have given support to BE FAST and celebrate the fact that we have support from representatives from all parties elected in the 2021 elections.

I also want to express my family’s gratitude to Neil Gray and Jenni Minto for meeting us to discuss BE FAST, as well as members of the Stroke Association and Chest, Heart, and Stroke Scotland.

This gratitude, however, is mixed with growing frustrations. Ever since our first meetings with the Scottish Government and stroke charities, we have felt that not enough consideration has been given to the devastating consequences of ‘false negatives’.

My family and I feel like donkeys chasing a carrot. Initially, we were told BE FAST couldn’t be used in Scotland due to a lack of evidence of its effectiveness in live medical settings.

When we presented evidence from Australia showing successful trials, the excuse shifted to the lack of Scottish trials.

Yet, when we request a trial in Scotland, there’s apparently no appetite for it from Government or the stroke charities.

How can we gather Scottish evidence if those in charge refuse to trial BE FAST?

While my family understand concerns about ‘false positives’, we cannot view this issue through that lens alone.

The status quo is costing lives. People, like my Dad, are dying because strokes are not being diagnosed. Some stay at home, unsure they are having a stroke, while others are left in hospital corridors because a stroke is ruled out by medical professionals.

This is not good enough and cannot continue.

My Dad’s story is not unique. Running this campaign, I have spoken to people across Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom who have been let down by the restrictions of FAST.

Two family friends, informed about BE FAST through my family’s campaign, received vital care despite having no FAST symptoms.

One lost her balance and was diagnosed with a TIA at A&E, while another lost the ability to stand, and their eyes were struggling to focus. To the shock of her doctor at NHS Forth Valley, a TIA was confirmed.

No FAST symptoms, but they received the treatment that they needed because of BE FAST.

While I am proud of my family’s efforts to promote BE FAST, running a public health campaign isn’t our role—it’s the Scottish Government’s responsibility.

My Dad, Anthony James Bundy, was a great man taken from us far too soon. He missed my wedding last month, his 25th wedding anniversary with my mum, and many more, and the chance to see the business he launched months before his passing flourish.

These moments were stolen from him, and from my family, because of the limitations of FAST—limitations known to those responsible for stroke care in Scotland.

My Dad was a man who wanted to set things right. Learning this trait from him is probably the reason why I am working in politics.

Expanding FAST to BE FAST won’t bring my Dad back. It won’t make things right for my family. But what it will do is make things better for my fellow Scots by helping save countless lives across Scotland.”

Those were James’s words—these are mine. I know that the cabinet secretary is a good fellow, and I know that he has a good heart. So I ask him today, on behalf of this family—and countless other people in Scotland on the wrong end of the misdiagnoses that are occurring because of the lack of awareness of BE FAST—to launch a Scottish trial of BE FAST, so that we can assess its effectiveness in Scotland.