Chamber
Plenary, 12 Dec 2001
12 Dec 2001 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
National Health Service
I cannot take an intervention from Mary Scanlon because I have far too much to get through.
Labour members have rightly spoken about reduced capacity in the health service. That is the problem and it is the reason why we are now looking to the private health sector. Why then have Labour members consistently supported the privatisation of the health service through the use of private finance initiatives? In the first 14 PFI hospitals there was an average reduction in bed spaces of 30 per cent and a reduction in staff clinical budgets of 20 per cent. That is the problem. New Labour must realise that it is not cheap to privatise the health service—rather, it costs money. New Labour has been privatising the health service during the past four years in which it has been in office, during which time we have lost 30,000 NHS beds.
We must realise that it is time to say that we will value our health service workers. That is why the amendment that was not selected called for a minimum wage for health workers—a proper national health service minimum wage that would not only retain staff, but would attract people to the service. We must also send out the message that it is time to renegotiate with the consultants who work for the health service. They cannot play for two teams at once; they can play either for the public team or for the private team. Let us get our consultants to work in the public health service, instead of allowing them to moonlight in the private health service.
Labour members have rightly spoken about reduced capacity in the health service. That is the problem and it is the reason why we are now looking to the private health sector. Why then have Labour members consistently supported the privatisation of the health service through the use of private finance initiatives? In the first 14 PFI hospitals there was an average reduction in bed spaces of 30 per cent and a reduction in staff clinical budgets of 20 per cent. That is the problem. New Labour must realise that it is not cheap to privatise the health service—rather, it costs money. New Labour has been privatising the health service during the past four years in which it has been in office, during which time we have lost 30,000 NHS beds.
We must realise that it is time to say that we will value our health service workers. That is why the amendment that was not selected called for a minimum wage for health workers—a proper national health service minimum wage that would not only retain staff, but would attract people to the service. We must also send out the message that it is time to renegotiate with the consultants who work for the health service. They cannot play for two teams at once; they can play either for the public team or for the private team. Let us get our consultants to work in the public health service, instead of allowing them to moonlight in the private health service.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
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The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
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Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister confirm that only an extremely modest number of patients have been transferred from NHS facilities to private ones? Will he tell us how man...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
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Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab):
Lab
The minister has talked about the use of private and other health service beds. Is it not about time that we considered nationalising some of the private sec...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
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Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
Does the minister accept that the principal opposition in Scotland on this issue is that individuals will profit from the illness of Scottish citizens, regar...
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Lab
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Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister take an intervention?
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Lab
I should make a little progress as I have taken a few interventions already. I will give way in about one minute.We are going a step further with the creatio...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
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Lab
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Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
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Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
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Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will the minister give a quick explanation of how much out of the figures that he has just given will be taken up with external pressures?
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Lab
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Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Will the member give way?
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I had better not. I have three minutes remaining and I have given way six times, which is probably too many, considering how much I have to say.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The minister has been generous so he can have an extra couple of minutes.
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I give way to Mr Wallace.
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I was not suggesting that the minister should give way again.
Ben Wallace:
Con
Does the minister agree that the best way to create a patient-centred service is to give patients choice and to allow general practitioners to exercise that ...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Patients have had the choice of where to be treated since the health service was founded in 1948. The reality is that most people want to be treated in a hos...
Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP):
SNP
Will the member give way?
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I might have one more minute if I am lucky.
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
Go on.
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
Okay.
Alasdair Morgan:
SNP
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Lab
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The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Members will have noticed that I allowed the minister an extra four minutes in which to speak. That was partly because two members who had given notice that ...