Scottish Government must solve NHS waiting list crisis as service 'is dying'
BMA Scotland's warning that the NHS 'is dying before our very eyes' should be a call to arms.
The union's poll has revealed just how many Scots are using private healthcare. The problem lies in long waiting lists, with one in six Scots currently awaiting treatment.
This is a long-standing problem which the SNP government must do more to tackle. Its failure to do so is driving more and more Scots towards private medical care.
Nearly a third of those surveyed have either used private healthcare in the last two years or lives with someone who has.
This is a damning reflection of the Scottish Government's running of the NHS and should be causing alarm bells to ring.
Not all those who are going private can afford it. Many are having to give up on leisure activities or have to dip into personal savings.
The number of people using private care would be even higher but many Scots don't have the money needed to pay for it.
People feel they have no alternative to going private to get the healthcare that they need.
Their only other option is to 'languish' on a waiting list for months or, all too often, years.
The NHS is a treasured institution and a source of national pride.
Healthcare should be free at the point of use for everyone – but is has to be available when needed.
The reality is we now have a two-tier system where those who can afford it pay and those who cannot have to continue suffering.
This can't go on. The Scottish Government must do more solve the waiting list crisis in our health service.
Robin us blind
Nigel Farage has tried to fool the public by saying he will bring in a Robin Hood tax.
But his pledge to take a one-off fee of £250,000 from wealthy tycoons and give it to the lowest 10 per cent of earners will actually just be a massive tax break for the super rich.
It would let billionaires off by paying very little tax and would leave the UK Government with £34billion less to spend on our health service and schools.
He couldn't even answer questions about how it would impact the economy yesterday.
Farage and Reform do not care about helping poorer people.
All they want to do is give a hand to Farage's wealthy pals and let them pay less tax.
Do not fall for his lies.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
30 minutes ago
- The Independent
New mail-in smear tests could save 5,000 lives each year
The NHS will introduce DIY cervical cancer screening tests for women in England who have consistently missed traditional appointments. The self-administered kits, designed to detect HPV, will be mailed to eligible women starting January 2026. The initiative aims to increase screening uptake by addressing barriers like discomfort or lack of time, ultimately leading to earlier detection of cervical cancer. Research, including the YouScreen trial, suggests that offering self-sampling kits could boost uptake by approximately 400,000 women annually. The Department of Health and Social Care anticipates the new program could potentially save around 5,000 lives each year by targeting underserved groups and making screening more convenient.
Telegraph
31 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Starmer faces major Labour rebellion over benefits cuts
Sir Keir Starmer is facing the biggest Labour rebellion of his premiership to date after more than 100 of his own MPs backed a bid to sink his £5 billion welfare cuts. Dozens of Labour MPs have signed an amendment to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill, which is due to be debated in the House of Commons for the first time on July 1. The amendment sets out a long list of reasons why the Bill should be rejected, including a lack of consultation with disabled people and the Government's own assessment that the changes could push an extra 250,000 people into poverty. If the amendment is selected for debate and if all of the Labour MPs who have signed it were to vote in favour of it, along with opposition parties, it would be enough to kill the Bill. It represents a major challenge to Sir Keir's authority and will send Downing Street scrambling to defuse the situation and keep the Bill alive. The Government's welfare reforms would see more of an emphasis placed on getting people on benefits back into work, with the stated aim of saving £5 billion a year by 2030. Under the proposals in the Bill, ministers will limit eligibility for the personal independence payment which is the main disability payment in England and also limit the sickness-related element of Universal Credit. But there has been rumbling and growing opposition to the changes from Labour MPs concerned at the impact they could have on some of the most vulnerable people in society. Ministers have already attempted to soften the impact of the changes but dozens of Labour MPs are still opposed to the Bill. The amendment has been tabled by Dame Meg Hillier, the chairman of the powerful Liaison Committee, and has been signed by numerous senior backbench figures. Another nine Labour select committee chairs have also backed the amendment, including Debbie Abrahams from the Work and Pensions Select Committee and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, from the Defence Select Committee. Other notable Labour figures who have signed the amendment include Diane Abbott, the Mother of the House of Commons, and former leadership contender Rebecca Long-Bailey. Vicky Foxcroft, the former whip who resigned from the Government last week over the welfare plans, has also signed the amendment. 'Consult disabled people' The amendment notes the 'need for the reform of the social security system' and agrees with the Government's 'principles for providing support to people into work and protecting people who cannot work'. But it states the Bill should be rejected 'because its provisions have not been subject to a formal consultation with disabled people, or co-produced with them, or their carers'. It also states that the Government's own impact assessment 'estimates that 250,000 people will be pushed into poverty as a result of these provisions, including 50,000 children'. A total of 108 MPs have signed the amendment. Ms Abrahams said the MPs 'want the Government to listen and to think again on this Bill'. She added: 'We are being asked to vote for this Bill before disabled people have been consulted, before impact assessments have been conducted and before we have given enough time to some of the Government's key policies – investing in the NHS, to the right to try, and to work coaching – (to) have been able to bed in.' Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, told a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday evening that the proposed changes were 'rooted in fairness'. She argued the reforms were about ensuring the survival of the welfare state so there is always a safety net for those who need it. Ms Kendall added: 'Above all, they are about our belief that everyone can fulfil their potential and live their hopes and dreams when, collectively, we provide them with real opportunities and support. This is the better future we seek to build for our constituents and our country.'
STV News
34 minutes ago
- STV News
Judi Dench: Government must give people with dementia earlier diagnosis
Dame Judi Dench is calling on the Government to give people with dementia an earlier diagnosis on the NHS. The Oscar-winning actress is backing a new campaign and petition by Alzheimer's Research UK for people with the condition to be told much quicker if they have it. Almost a million people in the UK are living with dementia, but about one in three do not have a diagnosis. According to Alzheimer's Research UK, people in some parts of England can wait up to a year for a diagnosis after being referred, while those in the most deprived areas face longer delays. Dame Judi said: 'Dementia doesn't just take away memories – it can take away identity, connection, and the future you thought you had. 'Watching loved ones slip away, and not knowing why, is an experience no one should have to go through without answers. 'Many people across the UK are still waiting far too long for a dementia diagnosis – or never receive one at all. 'That means they miss out on vital support, on the chance to plan ahead, opportunities to get involved in research, and on precious time. 'A diagnosis may not fix everything, but it gives people understanding, clarity, and some control at a time when everything feels uncertain. It allows families to make the most of the moments they have left. 'That's why I've signed Alzheimer's Research UK's petition – and why I'm asking the public to do the same. 'Together, we can call on government to fix the crumbling diagnosis system and make sure no one faces dementia unseen.' The new Alzheimer's Research UK campaign, Dementia Unseen, comes after the NHS target to ensure 66.7% of people with dementia receive a diagnosis was removed from NHS planning guidance for 2025-26. Two breakthrough Alzheimer's drugs: lecanemab and donanemab, were rejected for use on the NHS last week. Alzheimer's Research UK is calling for people with suspected dementia to be referred by their GP to see a specialist within six weeks – and to have a diagnosis and treatment plan in place within 18 weeks. Hilary Evans-Newton, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'Everyone who has dementia should have the right to know the disease or diseases causing it, and to be diagnosed early enough to get treatments that help with its symptoms. 'But hundreds of thousands of people are waiting too long for a diagnosis, causing uncertainty, and adding distress to an already challenging situation. 'We're incredibly grateful to Dame Judi for helping shine a light on what people with dementia need – and to everyone who has already signed our petition and stands with us. 'More people are seeking answers, so it's vital that the NHS and government act now to fix the system – because no one should face dementia alone or unseen.' Professor Fiona Carragher, chief policy officer at Alzheimer's Society, said: 'Everyone living with dementia deserves the clarity and dignity of an early and accurate diagnosis. Yet, more than a third of people living with this terminal condition are in the dark because they haven't been diagnosed, with many left to struggle alone without the care, support and treatment a diagnosis can bring. 'In fact, on average people experience dementia symptoms for three and a half years before they receive a diagnosis. 'For some time, we've been calling on the UK Government to urgently address dementia diagnosis and we welcome the recommendations in this new report. 'In particular, we support the call for health services to have the right teams and technology they need to diagnose more people, and for more data on diagnosis so that resources can be targeted where they're needed most. 'The science for dementia treatments is flying but the diagnosis system is failing. It is crucial governments invest in diagnosis across England, Wales and Northern Ireland so people can access the existing treatments of today, plan for the future, and be eligible for the life-changing treatments of tomorrow. 'If our governments set bold and ambitious new dementia diagnosis rate targets to get more people diagnosed, this would bring significant benefits for individuals, their families, and for health and care services.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
