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The Herald Scotland
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Family anger over Scotland's failure to give 24/7 stroke treatment
The family has told The Herald he had to wait 17 hours for the surgery that might have saved his life and is demanding changes to treatment in Scotland. It has emerged that an NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde's Significant Adverse Event Review (SAER) into Mr Bundy's death from August of last year, seen by The Herald states that there is no night-time provision - between 8pm and 8am - for thrombectomy across any health board area in Scotland. A thrombectomy is a surgery to remove a blood clot from an artery or vein and is used to treat some ischaemic stroke patients. Ischaemic stroke is the most common type of stroke caused by a blood clot cutting off blood flow to part of the brain. The procedure can restore blood flow to vital organs, like legs, arms, intestines, kidneys, brain or other vital organs. It can reduce the risk of death or permanent disability if performed promptly. Mr Bundy's family told The Herald that they believe that treatment failure is costing lives. Mr Bundy's son, James, a Falkirk councillor said: "When my dad suffered a stroke, he had to wait 17 hours for the surgery that might have saved him. Seventeen hours - not because of a lack of skill or care, but because the treatment wasn't available. That delay changed everything for him, and for us. READ MORE : Why do so many Scots die from a stroke? 'Devastating consequences': Anger as Scot Govt slashes stroke thrombectomy funding 'Doctors said I was too young to have a stroke at 43' 'Game-changing': Hope for stroke patients as life-saving clot treatment launches in Edinburgh "In Scotland today, if you have a stroke outside of office hours, your chances of recovery fall sharply. Thrombectomy, one of the most effective treatments for major strokes, is only. There is no night-time provision of thrombectomy anywhere in Scotland, and some hospitals have zero provision at weekends. That means we're living with a part-time NHS, where the time and day you fall ill can decide your fate." James Bundy (left) with father Tony (Image: Contributed) It has come despite the launch three years ago of the Scottish Government's Stroke Improvement Plan emphasises equitable and timely access to diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation services across all regions. The 2019/20 and 2020/21Programmes for Government made a number of commitments on stroke, including commitments to develop a national thrombectomy service and to "scope out and define what a progressive stroke service looks like". The family says that when Mr Bundy was in the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow they were told surgery could not commence until the morning as it was in the patient's best interests. But they feel this was untrue as they believe the quicker a thrombectomy is conducted, the more effective it is. They say that the reason he had to wait was "simple" - no thrombectomy services were offered until 9am. "This isn't just a theoretical failure. It's a real one—with real consequences," Mr Bundy told The Herald. "My dad's story proves that. And what deepens our grief is knowing that the delay wasn't necessary. It happened because the system simply wasn't there when he needed it. "No family in Scotland should have to experience that kind of preventable loss. But we're determined not to let our anger turn into despair. Instead, we're channelling it into change. It comes as the rate of strokes in Scotland continues to cause concern as the third biggest cause of death in Scotland after heart disease and cancer. The European Standardised Rate for strokes in Scotland in 2022-23 year was 479.2 per 100,000 of population, the highest since the start of Public Health Scotland's records in 2013-14, when it was 398.0. Nearly 20,000 Scots have died from strokes over five years to the end of 2022. There were 3,806 deaths in Scotland in 2023 where cerebrovascular disease, including stroke, was the underlying cause. The family fought and won the right to a review last year over education surrounding the detection of strokes in Scotland following concerns that flaws were costing lives. When Mr Bundy's stroke started, his face, arms, and speech were unaffected, meaning that his FAST (Face, Arms, Speech, Time) test was negative. The FAST test is used to assess a patient for the most common symptoms of stroke. However the family of the usually fit and healthy 53-year-old say he "lost his balance, his eyes were struggling to focus, and he was throwing up". The family say while they raised concerns that it could be a stroke, because his FAST test was negative, he was left in a corridor within the Glasgow Royal A&E department for over five hours before his fatal stroke struck. The family has been calling for an update to the stroke public health awareness campaign. Glasgow Royal Infirmary (Image: ColinMearns/Herald&Times) They say that whilst the FAST campaign has undoubtedly saved lives, the over-reliance on a public health campaign which does not include all symptoms has resulted in strokes, like Mr Bundy's being "misdiagnosed and people dying prematurely". They called for review of the FAST stroke campaign to ensure that it includes all symptoms of a potential stroke including the inability to stand, cold sweats, eyes struggling to focus, slowed speech, nausea, and vomiting. They say it is intended to maximise knowledge amongst the general public and medical profession. Mr Bundy added: "When my Dad fell ill, an ambulance was called but not despatched, at around 430pm on June 25. The reason was that a stroke was ruled out because of FAST. "Throughout the day, stroke was further ruled out by paramedics, triage, and nurses because my dad's symptoms were out with FAST. "Therefore, if thrombectomy was still available 24/7, he wouldn't have received it because the medical professionals and call handlers ruled out stroke because of the reliance on FAST. "This reliance on FAST 'directly contributed' to my dad's death, according to the SAER report "I therefore, cannot say that 24/7 thrombectomy would definitely have saved my dad's life because it wasn't the only factor that contributed." But he said that stroke was suspected by medical staff in the Glasgow Royal Infirmary later that night at 11pm. "But because of the lack of 24/7 thrombectomy, he couldn't get the surgery until 9:30am on Monday 26th June. That delay led to diminishing chances of survival," he said. Opposition spokespeople from Labour, the Conservatives, the Lib Dems, and the Greens have united to demand 24/7 access to thrombectomy treatment in Scotland. In a joint letter to health secretary Neil Gray they highlight the urgent need to end the current postcode-and-clock lottery that leaves stroke patients without access to life-saving care outside weekday hours. They say: "Shockingly, some hospitals still do not provide thrombolysis services at all. These gaps in stroke care are causing catastrophic delays in treatment and, in too many cases, preventable deaths." They said that Mr Bundy's case was "unacceptable". "It is not an isolated case," the said. "People are dying because essential stroke care is not consistently available across Scotland." Mr Bundy added: "We're grateful for the cross-party support we've received, and we are hopeful that by speaking out, we can help build a stroke care system that is fast, fair, and available to everyone—24/7." Two years doctors and charities urged the Government to reverse cuts in funding for thrombectomy amid fears that it will leave hundreds of stroke patients avoidably disabled. In a joint letter to the then health secretary Humza Yousaf, more than 150 stroke clinicians backed calls from Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) and the Stroke Association warning that the spending cuts and recruitment freeze would backfire.
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Linlithgow MSP welcomes her party's programme for government for the next year
First Minister John Swinney has promised 100,000 additional GP appointments, scrapping peak rail fares for good and introduces a range of measures to grow the Scottish economy nationally and internationally. Linlithgow MSP Fiona Hyslop has welcomed her party's programme for government for the next year. First Minister John Swinney has promised 100,000 additional GP appointments, scrapping peak rail fares for good and introduces a range of measures to grow the Scottish economy nationally and internationally. Commenting, Fiona said: 'I welcome the SNP's Programme for Government which has a real focus on the everyday issues that affect the lives of people in Scotland and will benefit many in West Lothian. 'The SNP Government will continue its work to build the best future for Scotland through a range of measures, including scrapping peak rail fares, improving access to GPs, piloting a £2 bus fare cap, and helping families with childcare, maintaining increased funded childcare hours which will support more parents into work. 'I am pleased to see this Programme for Government has been brought forward early, a year ahead of the Scottish Parliament elections, ensuring the people of Scotland will benefit from the delivery of it at this critical time. 'This Programme for Government will deliver for the people of West Lothian by fighting child poverty, funding strong public services, encourage economic growth and produce high quality jobs, demonstrating that the SNP is building the best future for Scotland.' From September 1, peak ScotRail fares will be permanently abolished, encouraging more people to choose train travel and helping with Cost-of-Living pressures. Fiona added: 'As the Minister who launched the ScotRail Peak Fares Removal Pilot in October 2023, which successfully saved commuters in West Lothian hundreds of pounds, I am pleased to see that peak fares will now be permanently removed. 'The removal of peak fares will benefit many of my Constituents in West Lothian, who commute to Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling, making rail travel more affordable, which will support households as we continue to deal with the Cost-of-Living Crisis. 'I hope that the removal of peak fares will encourage the use of rail travel, which is a more reliable, sustainable and greener transport option. 'The 2025-26 Programme for Government is committed to putting more money in people's pockets, and the removal of peak fares will make commuting, day trips and access to leisure activities even more affordable for all.'
Glasgow Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Scots to benefit from cheaper ScotRail fares and more GP appointments
The Scottish First Minister set out his Programme for Government, detailing the work ministers will do over the coming 12 months. But with the next Holyrood elections being held in a year's time on May 7, 2026, two of his keynote announcements – on GP appointments and ending peak-time rail fares – echo commitments already made by Scottish Labour. Anas Sarwar (Image: Jane Barlow) Claiming the SNP had 'nicked' the policies, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: 'It's not exactly the borrowing powers I thought the SNP had in mind.' Mr Sarwar's comments came after the First Minister insisted he was putting a 'renewed and stronger NHS' at the heart of his plans for the next 12 months. Mr Swinney accepted the difficulty many face in getting GP appointments can cause 'deep frustration' in what he said was 'described as the 8am lottery'. Scots to benefit from more GP appointments and cheaper rail fares (Image: Jane Barlow) To tackle that, he promised 'an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries', with the SNP leader going on to add these would be 'focused on key risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking'. Meanwhile, he said the move to scrap peak-time rail fares for good from September 2025 was part of a 'package of cost-of-living support' offered by the Scottish Government. READ MORE: End of ScotRail alcohol ban announced by Scottish Government These include policies Scots already benefit from, such as free university tuition, free prescriptions and council tax and water bills that are, on average, lower than those paid by residents south of the border. A pilot project had already seen peak-time rail fares in Scotland scrapped, leaving travellers paying the cheaper, off-peak prices regardless of when they travelled. However, Mr Swinney said 'severe budget pressures' meant this policy could not be continued, and it was ended less than a year ago in September 2024. John Swinney (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire) But Mr Swinney said: 'Given the work we have done to get Scotland's finances in a stronger position, and hearing also the calls from commuters, from climate activists and from the business community, I can confirm that, from September 1 this year, peak rail fares in Scotland will be scrapped for good.' He added that this was 'a decision that will put more money in people's pockets and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies'. On ending child poverty, something the Scottish First Minister has declared as one of his key priorities, he said over the next year, the government would consult on and develop a new Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31. Mr Swinney said this would outline the actions to be taken 'to keep us on the journey to meet our poverty reduction targets for 2030' – when the number of children living in relative poverty should be reduced to 10% or less. The new plan will 'focus on reducing household costs, boosting incomes through social security, and helping more people into fair and sustainable jobs', the First Minister added. His Programme for Government also promised more money for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project planned for the north east of Scotland. While the Scottish Government has previously pledged £80 million for this, he said he would 'remove that cap and increase the amount of Scottish funding that is available' – although this will only happen if the project is given the go-ahead by the UK Government. He urged the Labour administration at Westminster to give support 'not only to carbon capture projects in England, but also to the Acorn project' – with the First Minister adding this would help with efforts to secure a future for the recently closed oil refinery at Grangemouth. READ MORE: ScotRail peak fares to be scrapped in major change His comments came as he warned that 'new threats are emerging that have the potential to cause extensive damage to the Scottish economy' – with Mr Swinney referencing here the impact that tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump could have on 'many Scottish exporters to the USA'. Speaking about the 'looming economic challenge', the First Minister promised a new fund would be created to help with the 'commercialisation of research projects with significant economic potential'. Overall, he told MSPs at Holyrood that his plans amounted to a 'programme for a better Scotland'. He added: 'Centred on delivery, providing hope, it is a programme that seeks what is best for Scotland, a Programme for Government that gets our nation on track for success.'
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
John Swinney pledges 100,000 more GP appointments to reduce pressure on NHS
Anas Sarwar accused the SNP of having "nicked" the plan for more appointments from Labour. John Swinney has pledged Scots will benefit from 100,000 more GP appointments by next year in a bid to ease pressure on the NHS. The First Minister made the commitment as part of his last Programme for Government ahead of the crunch 2026 Holyrood election. The move will see GP surgeries invite patients with a history of certain conditions to make appointments in advance. It follows negotiations between SNP ministers and the British Medical Association (BMA). Claiming the SNP had 'nicked' the policy from Labour, Anas Sarwar said: 'It's not exactly the borrowing powers I thought the SNP had in mind.' It came after the First Minister insisted he was putting a 'renewed and stronger NHS' at the heart of his plans for the next 12 months. Swinney accepted the difficulty many face in getting GP appointments can cause 'deep frustration' in what he said was 'described as the 8am lottery'. To tackle that he promised 'an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries', with the SNP leader going on to add these would be 'focused on key risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking'. Meanwhile, he said the move to scrap peak-time rail fares for good from September 2025 was part of a 'package of cost-of-living support' offered by the Scottish Government. A pilot project had already seen peak-time rail fares in Scotland scrapped, leaving travellers paying the cheaper, off-peak prices regardless of when they travelled. Swinney said: 'Given the work we have done to get Scotland's finances in a stronger position, and hearing also the calls from commuters, from climate activists and from the business community, I can confirm that, from September 1 this year, peak rail fares in Scotland will be scrapped for good.' He added that this was 'a decision that will put more money in people's pockets and mean less CO2 is pumped into our skies'. On ending child poverty, something the Scottish First Minister has declared as one of his key priorities, he said over the next year the government would consult on and develop a new Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31. Swinney said this would outline the actions to be taken 'to keep us on the journey to meet our poverty reduction targets for 2030' – when the number of children living in relative poverty should be reduced to 10% or less. The new plan will 'focus on reducing household costs, boosting incomes through social security, and helping more people into fair and sustainable jobs', the First Minister added. His Programme for Government also promised more money for the Acorn carbon capture and storage project planned for the north east of Scotland.
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
John Swinney to unveil Programme for Government with one year to go until crunch Holyrood election
The First Minister will tell MSPs his priority remains fixing Scotland's struggling NHS as he sets his Government's agenda for the next 12 months. John Swinney will today announce his Programme for Government for the year ahead as the clock counts down until the next Holyrood election. The First Minister will tell MSPs his priority remains fixing Scotland's struggling NHS amid "deep frustration" among patients over the difficulty in booking appointments to see a GP. It comes as the SNP faces renewed attack from Labour over its long record in power at Holyrood with a little over a year until Scots go to the polls. The Nationalists won a convincing victory at the last election in 2021 but have since lost two first ministers and party leaders in Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. John Swinney has been credited with steadying the SNP since he took charge last April and current polls suggest he is on course to remain First Minister after next year's election. But the party leader is keenly aware of widespread dissatisfaction over key public services such as the NHS, schools and transport. Speaking ahead of his statement to the Scottish Parliament, Swinney said: "A renewed and stronger NHS is at the very heart of this Programme for Government. "I am proud that through additional investment we have already delivered an extra 105,500 vital NHS appointments and procedures that are helping reduce waiting lists and waiting times. "But we know there is more to do. While many people's experience of their GP is excellent, for many others there is deep frustration over what has been described as the 8am lottery to make appointments. "So we will act to reduce pressure and increase capacity in the system, to make it easier for people to get the care they need, when they need it. "When I became First Minister a year ago, I heard loud and clear people's concerns about the NHS. The Programme for Government I announce today will take serious action to put the NHS on track to meet the needs of the public." Scottish Labour today claimed Swinney has been "at the heart" of a "failing" government and he cannot pretend otherwise. Anas Sarwar said: "From health to education to the environment, this SNP government's record is defined by broken promises. Like clockwork, headline-grabbing plans are made and abandoned, and ambitious targets are set and missed. "For 18 years John Swinney has been at the heart of this failing government and he cannot pretend otherwise. "John Swinney was the Education Secretary who failed to close the attainment gap, he was the Finance Secretary who refused to reform Council Tax, and he is the First Minister responsible for the last year's u-turns. "John Swinney was the man who broke it and now wants to pretend he is the one to fix it. "As the election approaches, the SNP will ramp up the empty promises once again but Scotland will not forget the record of failure that hangs over John Swinney and his government. "The truth is, if the SNP had the answers to Scotland's problems we would have seen them by now. Only Scottish Labour can deliver a new direction for our country and give Scotland a government that is focused on delivery.'
