Chamber
Plenary, 19 Sep 2007
19 Sep 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
NHS Waiting Times
If Margaret Curran is right in saying that the abolition of availability status codes was Labour's idea all along, I presume that she knows how much it will cost, because Labour will have worked that out.
I welcome Margaret Curran to her new position. I look forward to consensual debate with her, on the basis that there is a first time for everything.
Margaret Curran said that availability status codes were not hidden waiting lists and that they reflected patient choice. I presume that she will not take my word for it when I say that they were hidden waiting lists, so I will tell her what the British Medical Association said about them. It described availability status codes as an
"administrative loophole to hide patients who could not be treated within waiting times guarantees."
A doctor from Argyll who raised concerns about his patients said that they were
"a definite attempt to fiddle the figures and make it look good on paper"
and that the system harms patients.
I welcome Margaret Curran to her new position. I look forward to consensual debate with her, on the basis that there is a first time for everything.
Margaret Curran said that availability status codes were not hidden waiting lists and that they reflected patient choice. I presume that she will not take my word for it when I say that they were hidden waiting lists, so I will tell her what the British Medical Association said about them. It described availability status codes as an
"administrative loophole to hide patients who could not be treated within waiting times guarantees."
A doctor from Argyll who raised concerns about his patients said that they were
"a definite attempt to fiddle the figures and make it look good on paper"
and that the system harms patients.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
We move to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on national health service waiting times. The cabinet secretary will take question...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
I am pleased to have this opportunity to bring members up to date with important changes in how patients' waiting times will be measured in the NHS in Scotla...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
As I intimated earlier, the cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that were raised in her statement. I hope to allow around 40 minutes for ...
Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for providing me with an advance copy of her statement. I welcome my appointment to the health brief and look forward to many consensual...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
If Margaret Curran is right in saying that the abolition of availability status codes was Labour's idea all along, I presume that she knows how much it will ...
Margaret Curran rose—
Lab
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The member cannot intervene while I am answering her question. I know that she is new to her post, but she is not new to Parliament.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
This is not a debate; it is a question-and-answer session.
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Under the new system there will be no more hidden waiting lists and figures will be published. Margaret Curran said that the detail on availability status co...
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for her statement and welcome the Government's decision to abolish hidden waiting lists—in the spirit of consensus, shall we ca...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
As I tried to say in my statement, an important balance must be struck between patient flexibility and the need of the NHS to have stability and not to have ...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I add to my colleague's remarks about being glad to be in my new position to lock horns with Nicola Sturgeon and Shona Robison.I am glad that the cabinet sec...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I welcome Richard Simpson to his position and look forward to robust but consensual debate.As for Dr Simpson's questions, one list will be published, but pat...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I, too, welcome Margaret Curran to her new health post, as it means that we are likely to have some feisty and interesting debates about health during the ne...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank Mary Scanlon for her questions and will—logically—take the first one first. All patients are treated on the basis of clinical need and priority. A ma...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I commend the cabinet secretary for the clarity and accountability of the new process. I recommend that she provides, posthaste, explanatory leaflets to the ...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank Christine Grahame for her question. I assure her that explanatory leaflets are being provided to the Opposition, as well as to GPs and patients aroun...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD):
LD
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement.I want to press the cabinet secretary on an issue that she has inadvertently not ad...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The new system will be delivered from within the NHS boards' existing financial and staffing resources. The health directorates are working closely with heal...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I want to press the cabinet secretary on audiology waiting times. Waiting times for audiology services in central and west Fife are reasonable, but the figur...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I am more than happy to clarify that point for Claire Baker. First, I agree that audiology waiting times are far too long, which is perhaps one of the legaci...
Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I whole-heartedly applaud the Government's statement. My question is about not hidden waiting lists per se, but waiting times in general. Does the cabinet se...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I do not find it difficult to be consensual on that last point.It is not possible for me to comment on the detail of individual cases, but if Aileen Campbell...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab):
Lab
What improvements have taken place as a result of the extra measures to tackle cancer waiting times in the NHS Highland area that were announced in August? W...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Yes, I can give that assurance.With the Presiding Officer's permission, I will take a little time to answer Rhoda Grant's questions about cancer waiting time...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Like most members, I welcome the cabinet secretary's statement and congratulate her on it. That said, members are entitled to be reasonably concerned about t...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I will be accountable—as will the entire Government—for the delivery of our manifesto commitment on waiting times.As I have said previously in the chamber, h...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I thank the cabinet secretary for her statement. As a former health board worker, I have observed the present system and welcome the new, fairer system. What...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
The question is an important one. As I said, simply changing the system does not necessarily solve the problem. When a shift was made from deferred waiting l...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD):
LD
The cabinet secretary said that nearly 2,000 patients with an ASC had waited over a year for their treatment on the ground that they were medically unfit. Wi...