Chamber
Plenary, 27 Sep 2001
27 Sep 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
“Value Nurses” Campaign
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing the debate and Janis Hughes on her contribution to it. I am sure that there will not be a great deal of controversy about anything either of them has said. We all value nurses—that is the aim of the RCN's campaign. We all want action to follow the campaign. The most obvious specific measure that the RCN has advocated is the implementation in Scotland of a policy that is already in place in England and Wales—funding for the £1,000 return-to-practice course.
Whatever else we get from the debate, I hope that the minister will respond clearly to that. It is one thing that we expect of him. I say that with regard to the fact that £700 million has not been spent this year. Why could that money not have been spent on the one simple measure that I mentioned—along with many other measures that have been proposed?
Many other members wish to speak. I will make one more point. I will visit the Royal Northern infirmary tomorrow as a putative shadow nurse. I do not think that they could have made a worse choice, but there we are. I look forward to the experience. I will learn more about some of the things that I have heard about the practical, day-to-day difficulties of being a nurse in the Highlands. Nurses there face difficulties such as paying for their own travel. Kim MacLean mentioned that she uses up to £700 a year from her own pocket. Nurses throughout Scotland, but particularly in the Highlands, have the difficulty of paying for their own training, which is quite insulting in this day and age.
I will learn about the difficulties for nurses, doctors and those in professions allied to medicine—such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists. We rarely mention PAMs. Sometimes, those in such professions feel left out because we tend to talk only about nurses and doctors. Ancillary workers are also neglected.
I look forward to hearing what other members have to say in the debate. I was slightly surprised to be called to speak at such an early stage. I hope that the minister will give us specific assurances.
Whatever else we get from the debate, I hope that the minister will respond clearly to that. It is one thing that we expect of him. I say that with regard to the fact that £700 million has not been spent this year. Why could that money not have been spent on the one simple measure that I mentioned—along with many other measures that have been proposed?
Many other members wish to speak. I will make one more point. I will visit the Royal Northern infirmary tomorrow as a putative shadow nurse. I do not think that they could have made a worse choice, but there we are. I look forward to the experience. I will learn more about some of the things that I have heard about the practical, day-to-day difficulties of being a nurse in the Highlands. Nurses there face difficulties such as paying for their own travel. Kim MacLean mentioned that she uses up to £700 a year from her own pocket. Nurses throughout Scotland, but particularly in the Highlands, have the difficulty of paying for their own training, which is quite insulting in this day and age.
I will learn about the difficulties for nurses, doctors and those in professions allied to medicine—such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists. We rarely mention PAMs. Sometimes, those in such professions feel left out because we tend to talk only about nurses and doctors. Ancillary workers are also neglected.
I look forward to hearing what other members have to say in the debate. I was slightly surprised to be called to speak at such an early stage. I hope that the minister will give us specific assurances.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S1M-2054, in the name of Margaret Smith, on the Royal College of Nursing Scotland's value ...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament supports the Royal College of Nursing Scotland's "Value Nurses" campaign, which highlights the crucial role that nurses play in deliverin...
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I am delighted and honoured to sponsor a motion to value and recognise the wide range of work done by Scotland's nurses and to support the RCN's value nurses...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
I will not be able to call everyone, even with speeches of three minutes, so I am prepared to entertain a motion without notice to extend the debate by 10 mi...
Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
May I move a motion to extend the business?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Yes.
Motion moved,
That the meeting be extended by 10 minutes.—Mrs Margaret Ewing.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The question is, that the motion be agreed to.
Motion agreed to.
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I must declare an interest—I am a member of Unison. As the only nurse in the Scottish Parliament, I feel qualified to contribute to the debate. Margaret Smit...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing the debate and Janis Hughes on her contribution to it. I am sure that there will not be a great deal of controversy...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing the debate, which I welcome. Well motivated, happy nurses are key members of our Scottish health team. Two weeks ag...
Brian Fitzpatrick (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab):
Lab
I hesitate to introduce a partisan element to the debate, but Mr McGrigor has prompted me to do so. I take it that, at some point in this year zero speech, h...
Mr McGrigor:
Con
I regret to say that the Conservative health spokesperson is currently recovering from a very bad car crash, and I am sorry that she is not here today. I do ...
Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD):
LD
In this brief speech, I will use my experience of the health service over the past few months to highlight two things we should do if we value our nurses.Fir...
Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I too congratulate Margaret Smith on securing this debate, and on making an excellent opening speech. In no way do I want to be partisan, but I think that th...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
I endorse what Alex Neil said and I thank Margaret Smith for securing the debate and for the quality of her speech. Nurses are undoubtedly the Henrik Larsson...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the nurses, who come from a virtually all-female profession, to the Scottish Parliament. It is worth noting that the vast majority of nurses, midwi...
Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I will be brief, to allow other members an opportunity to speak. I thank Margaret Smith for securing this important debate.As part of the RCN's value nurses ...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I congratulate Margaret Smith on raising this extremely important debate. We should all be grateful to Scotland's nurses for what they have done over countle...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
I call Jamie Stone, to be followed by a 60-second speech from Kenny Gibson.
Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I also congratulate Margaret Smith on securing this debate. On behalf of the Liberal Democrats, I welcome our friends in the public gallery. Although the tur...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
We only have time for the briefest of contributions from Kenny Gibson.
Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the Presiding Officer for accepting my plea. I do not consider nursing to be a female profession but a caring profession. Although there are many thi...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Margaret Smith on securing today's welcome debate. I also add my support to the RCN's value nurses campaign. The minister and I are joining th...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I begin by congratulating Margaret Smith on securing the debate and by welcoming nurses to the public gallery. I applaud the enormous contribution that they ...
Mrs Ewing:
SNP
I have heard many of those comments before, sometimes in the House of Commons where I served as an RCN panel member. Will the minister give one concrete exam...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I made an announcement in the summer in response to one of those demands and I have stated clearly that the other demands—some of which I have yet to deal wi...