Meeting of the Parliament 19 November 2025
My apologies, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Scottish Conservatives believe in fairness and that where someone lives should never determine the quality of care that they receive. That is why Scottish Conservatives are calling for a rural health guarantee; equal access to essential services for every patient, regardless of their postcode; a workforce action plan that incentivises recruitment and trains staff in rural areas, not just empty promises; and investment in community-based care, because care that is delivered closer to home or in the home is better for patients and for the NHS.
The Government has had years to fix the system, but, instead, rural communities have been treated as an afterthought. They pay the same taxes as everyone else and deserve the same standard of care, but, right now, they are being asked to accept less—less access, less choice and less safety.
It is about equality versus equity. Rural communities are not asking for equality; they are demanding equity. Equality assumes that giving everyone the same resource will produce the same outcome, but that ignores the unique challenges that rural areas face, such as long travel times, a limited workforce and smaller hospitals. Equity means tailoring support so that rural patients have the same chances of getting timely and safe care as those in urban centres. That requires additional investment, flexible service models and a recognition that one-size-fits-all policies perpetuate disadvantage rather than solve it.
I say this clearly: rural Scotland will not be left behind; we will not accept the dismantling of local services without replacements being in place; and we will hold the Government to account until every patient, wherever they live, has equitable access to care.