By Lucy Ashton
Jackie Baillie has made a passionate speech at the Scottish Labour conference on the Party’s plan to transform the NHS and social care system.
The Dumbarton constituency MSP told delegates about practical measures to tackle waiting times and spoke about the plight of Mary Travis from Alexandria who fears dying while waiting on a life-changing operation.
Scottish Labour’s spokesperson for health and social care previously pleaded with the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Humza Yousaf to utilise unused theatres at the Vale of Leven Hospital.
Labour spokesperson Jackie Baillie, Humza Yousaf and the underused Vale of Leven Hospital in Alexandria.
Maximising capacity is one of the ways in which Scottish Labour would catch-up on the backlog which sees one in eight Scots stuck on a waiting list.
Jackie Baillie said: “Mary Travis’ circumstances are absolutely heartbreaking and I commend her for speaking out about her agonising wait for surgery.
“Sadly, there are many more like her across my constituency and, indeed, across the country.
“Meanwhile theatre space, including at the Vale of Leven Hospital sits empty but ready to be used to help clear the backlog.”
During her speech, Jackie Baillie also addressed plans to deliver free residential care for Scots over 65 years old and a package of proposals to ensure unpaid carers are looked after.
This includes restarting day care fully after Ms Baillie was contacted by a constituent who saw day care for her husband reduced from four days to just one having had no respite at all for months during the pandemic.
She said in her speech: “I am proud that Scottish Labour will, in government, end all residential care charges for our older people. No longer will families have to worry about the burden of care or be forced to make heartbreaking decisions. This will transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of Scots.
“And as the SNP motor along in the slow lane, taking advice from KPMG, and PWC, who have an interest in private care, we don’t accept that we should wait until 2026 for the National Care Service to take shape.
“We can do things now.
“Let’s pass Anne’s Law so care home visiting can resume.
“Let’s restart respite care.
“Let’s restart day services.
“Let’s provide support for family carers who stepped up during the pandemic but badly need support and a rest.
“Let’s end non-residential care charging;
“Let’s pause commissioning;
“Let’s give social care workers a decent pay rise.
“And let’s use procurement to stop those private sector care organisations, headquartered in tax havens, from making obscene profits on the back of our older people.”