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Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
East Kilbride MP says NHS Lanarkshire 'is in decline' under the SNP as patients are left languishing
Statistics from Public Health Scotland show that outpatient treatments fell by 2,301 (over five per cent) – the third worst figure in Scotland. East Kilbride MP Joani Reid has claimed the NHS in Lanarkshire is in decline under SNP rule as new figures on waiting times and in-and out-patient treatments are released. The statistics, from Public Health Scotland, show, comparing the 12 months ending in March this year with the 12 months ending in March 2024, that in Lanarkshire outpatient treatments fell by 2,301 (over five per cent) – the third worst figure in Scotland. The number of people waiting for an outpatient appointment rose by 592 and the total number of people waiting for inpatient treatment rose by 922 – the fourth worst figure in the country. Download the Lanarkshire Live app today The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now. Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire's recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7. The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you. Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android A total of 5,510 people were waiting more than 52 weeks for an outpatient appointment – close to one in ten of all those waiting and 2,174 people waited more than 52 weeks for inpatient appointments – over 15 per cent of all those waiting. And 621 fewer patients were admitted for inpatient treatment. Joani Reid MP, Scottish Labour MP for East Kilbride and Strathaven, said: 'These figures are a record of the SNP's failure. They have been running the NHS in Lanarkshire and the rest of Scotland for nearly 20 years and yet things are getting worse, much worse in many cases, and not better. 'The contrast with the performance down South of the Labour government, elected less than 11 months ago and yet turning round the NHS, could not be clearer. 'Continued SNP rule would be a disaster for the health service in Lanarkshire. Our health needs are increasing but the SNP can deliver us nothing. They are out of ideas and their tired and wasteful government needs to go. 'The NHS in Lanarkshire needs a fresh start. That can only come with a new Labour-led government in Holyrood.' Back in 2022 Humza Yousaf, then the Heath Secretary, announced new targets to eradicate long waits. He promised to end waits of over two years for in-patient and day case treatment by September that year and to eradicate inpatient or day case treatments by September last year. But almost a quarter of the 158,436 currently waiting for out-patient treatment have been on lists for more than a year. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "It is encouraging and indeed a testament to our hardworking NHS staff that the statistics published this week are showing improvements in some outpatient, diagnostic and inpatient/day case waiting times performance metrics. "Our 2025-26 Budget provides record funding of £21 billion for health and social care - with NHS boards receiving an additional £200 million to reduce waiting lists and help support reduction of delayed discharge. "We have already made good progress through our targeted funding approach. NHS Boards have exceeded the commitment to deliver 64,000 appointments and procedures in 2024-25, funded through our £30m investment, with Boards reporting delivery of 105,500 appointments and procedures." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
'I believe that the people of East Kilbride are determined to protect our freedoms and democracy'
East Kilbride and Strathaven MP Joani Reid has paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the wartime generation to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. In an open letter, the Labour politician said Scots should salute the steely determination of the WW2 generation who won victory 80 years ago... "This year's VE Day is a poignant one. Eighty years on from the defeat of fascism in Europe , it may be one of the last chances we have to honour, in person, those who fought and worked for that immense victory. "The generation that won the war is slowly passing into history. But in East Kilbride, we will always have cause to remember them —our town was born from their determination to turn victory into a better future. "In 1945, as at the end of 1914–18 war, East Kilbride was probably better known as a site of a prisoner of war camp than anything else. The West of Scotland was a powerhouse of the British war effort — from those who volunteered to fight or to work the land, to coal miners, munitions workers and shipbuilders. But our town was still little more than a village. "The conflict was not fought simply over borders or defeating fascism. For millions of working people, it was a fight for a better world. Winning the war was only the start—what came after the guns stopped firing mattered just as much. And the new town of East Kilbride, Scotland's first, was born of that resolve when the post-war Labour government designated it for intensive development in 1947. "Today we should guard our inheritance of freedom from that time with renewed vigour. Once again, Europe — including Scotland — is being haunted by the spectre of far-right politics and imperialist conquest. These days the demagogues of extremism may wear blue suits instead of brown or black shirts, but many of their messages and methods remain the same. "Fears are provoked, anxieties stoked. Dirty money is used to manipulate opinion. And the enormous power of social media makes it harder than ever to counter the lies peddled by extremists — whether to justify Russian imperialism or racial hatred. "I believe that the people of East Kilbride are determined to protect our freedoms and democracy. After all, this is the place that refused to help arm Chilean dictator Pinochet — and we are rightly proud of that. "But there is no room for complacency. The generation that fought, dug and built between 1939 and 1945 knew all too well what happens when the enemies of liberty go unchallenged. We owe it to them to stay vigilant." *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
The Herald Scotland
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
SNP should leverage 'brand Britain' to attract more migrant workers
The idea that Scotland, while still part of the UK, could independently manage its own immigration system is not a serious one. Implementing such a policy would create chaos at our borders, severely undermine national security and counter-terrorism efforts, and inflict significant economic damage. Yet, beyond highlighting the SNP's reckless proposals, there is an urgent and important question that Scotland must address: how can we attract skilled individuals and become a more appealing destination for those who will genuinely enhance our economy and society? Scotland faces distinct demographic challenges. Our population is ageing faster than the rest of the UK: by 2045, nearly a quarter of Scots will be 65 or older. Read more This demographic shift brings severe workforce shortages in critical sectors. Skilled incomers, whether from elsewhere in the UK or overseas, are essential. They fill critical gaps, drive innovation, modernise our economy, and, crucially, tend to be younger and more likely to have families, funding our pensions, maintaining our hospitals, and keeping our schools viable. Yet currently, Scotland is not proving attractive enough. Even during recent years of soaring UK net migration, surpassing 600,000 in 2022/23, figures widely acknowledged as unsustainable, Scotland's inflow remained disproportionately low. We sit approximately one-third below what would be expected given our population share. Though the Labour government is now implementing a more controlled and selective immigration policy, Scotland's underperformance is likely to continue unless genuine policy changes are made. The SNP could learn why talented individuals choose other parts of the UK. Rather than obsessively emphasising differences, they should leverage 'brand Britain'—the stability, cultural openness, renowned universities, and global reputation that attract international talent. They should reconsider policies that make Scotland less attractive, such as imposing the highest income taxes in the UK, an obvious deterrent for skilled professionals considering a move north. Scotland urgently requires increased investment in affordable housing, especially around economic hubs such as Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Enhancing infrastructure – particularly transport connectivity and world-class broadband – would further boost Scotland's attractiveness to potential incomers. Joani Reid is a granddaughter of the Scottish trade unionist and SNP supporter Jimmy Reid (Image: Gordon Terris) Above all, the SNP should refocus education policy away from discredited, ideologically driven curriculum changes and towards raising standards and attainment. London's successful state education model, based on rigorous standards and accountability, has attracted skilled professionals and young families. There is no shame in Scotland striving for similar educational excellence. Scottish universities, historically world-leading, urgently need renewed investment to restore their global competitiveness and appeal to international talent. Yet these practical solutions, all within his control, seem anathema to John Swinney and his colleagues. Instead, the SNP proposes a solution that would likely devastate Scotland's economy: a separate immigration system that would trigger inevitable border controls at Gretna, Berwick, and every airport, alongside huge new bureaucratic burdens for businesses. Partitioning Britain in this way is economically damaging, irrational, and socially divisive. The SNP argues that the Common Travel Area with Ireland demonstrates the feasibility of separate border controls. Yet, conveniently, they ignore the fact that air and ferry travel within the CTA already requires identity or passport checks. Additional Scottish border controls could destabilise the CTA, potentially jeopardising the fragile peace in Northern Ireland. The Scottish Government would like to make visa entry into Scotland easier than elsewhere in the UK – perhaps even reintroducing visa-free entry for EU citizens. While superficially appealing to Brexit opponents, this would inevitably lead to stringent border controls at the Scottish-English border. Without these checks, businesses could exploit looser Scottish rules, establishing headquarters in Scotland and employing EU nationals who then work unchecked across the rest of the UK, significantly undermining immigration controls. It's also right to acknowledge that immigration has real challenges, particularly if poorly planned or uncontrolled. Concentrating large numbers of new arrivals in lower-skilled, lower-paid sectors like social care and tourism can destabilise communities, increase competition for already limited housing, and place immense pressure on public services stretched to breaking point. Read more Far from the SNP's simplistic portrayal of immigration as entirely positive, successive governments have grappled with these complexities. The SNP's comforting myth that race hate is exclusively an English problem would quickly unravel under such pressures. Perhaps the SNP does not care about these practical realities, given their overriding goal of breaking up the UK. But for most Scots, passport checks to visit family, friends, or workplaces in London, Newcastle, or Manchester would be entirely unacceptable. The reality is that the SNP's immigration proposal is not a serious legislative attempt. They published the bill only days ago without public consultation, clearly aware it is impractical, unworkable, and economically harmful. It is a political stunt designed to revive their struggling independence campaign. But Scots have moved beyond empty political gestures. With Trump in office and Putin in Ukraine, the era of slogan politics must now end. Voters are increasingly demanding substance, credible solutions, and genuine leadership. With the rise of Reform, even populist nationalism faces increased competition. But the SNP has yet to realise the world has fundamentally changed. Joani Reid is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for East Kilbride and Strathaven since July 2024. Reid is a granddaughter of the Scottish trade unionist Jimmy Reid
