EXCLUSIVE: Dundee's Michael Marra launches astonishing attack on 'fundamentally dishonest' NHS Tayside
Dundee-based MSP Michael Marra has launched an extraordinary attack on NHS Tayside, accusing it of 'managing headlines' for SNP politicians against the interests of patients.
Mr Marra claims the institution has become 'fundamentally dishonest' and needs to be more transparent about its challenges and mistakes.
He spoke to The Courier as he launched his Holyrood bid for Dundee City West where he will take on an SNP majority, from the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, of nearly 13,000.
SNP MSP Joe FitzPatrick is standing down and will be replaced on the ballot by city councillor Heather Anderson.
When it comes to local issues, Mr Marra says NHS Tayside would be his top priority if elected.
He said: '[There is] brilliant staff working really hard, but the institution has been beset by scandal after scandal because it has become a fundamentally dishonest institution.
'Instead of facing up to the challenges, what they have been concerned about is managing headlines for local SNP politicians.
'The health board needs to be accountable to people locally.
'They need to be open and honest about the challenges they face, whether that be in the funding settlement but also the mistakes they have made.'
Mr Marra says there has 'too often been a collusion between NHS Tayside, its previous management and SNP politicians' that has gone against the interests of the people of Dundee.'
NHS Tayside has been hit with repeated cover-up allegations relating to the Eljamel scandal and the breast cancer care controversy. It also hit the headlines over multiple data breaches and the recent wage-theft whistleblowing saga.
Mr Marra previously said there was an issue with the health board withdrawing services without informing patients.
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said its commitment to the people of Tayside was evidence by 'excellence' in areas important to them, including its best-in-UK compliance with the four-hour A&E target.
She added: 'The board remains committed to having an open and honest dialogue with the population – and at the times where we are not getting it right, we will, and have, apologised and taken steps to make the improvements needed.
'Indeed it is the case that the board has brought forward a number of issues into the public domain in the past few years to ensure transparency with our population.
'The board and executive team also engage regularly face-to-face with our local MPs and MSPs to discuss key issues they have brought to us on behalf of their constituents, as well as advising them of our future plans for services at the earliest stage.'
She said NHS Tayside would continue to support its staff to deliver safe and effective services and be open about the challenges it faces.
Michael Marra – who has served as a regional politician for the North East since 2021 – says he has a 'lot of work to do' in the next 12 months.
'But I think over the last four years I have been a very visible and hardworking MSP. People locally will know they have got a Labour candidate who loves the city and loves the people,' he added.
Among his other priorities is the ongoing crisis at Dundee University, where he worked before entering parliament.
He added: 'Clearly the issue with the University of Dundee rolls on.
'I'm far from convinced that the government has got a grip of this, so I'm hopeful that a Scottish Labour government can contribute to that in 2026.'
An economist by training, Mr Marra is his party's shadow finance spokesman and would likely take on a senior role in any Labour-led Scottish Government.
But his party faces an uphill battle after First Minister John Swinney turned around the SNP's fortunes following its defeat at last year's general election.
With one year to go, analysis by Ballot Box Scotland of the latest polling predicts the nationalists would remain the country's largest party with 58 seats.
If repeated on May 6 next year, polls suggest Labour could be second with 22 seats and Nigel Farage's Reform UK third with 15 MSPs.
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