Labour will make public health a top priority, says Jackie Baillie MSP

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Health centres and the RAH which serve the Dumbarton constituency.

By Bill Heaney

How are you? Fair to middling? Or do you have something seriously wrong with you that requires a visit to your GP — or even hospitalisation?
Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie MSP, commented today on the latest Scottish Health Survey which shows that the number of Scots with a long-term health condition has reached a record high.
The Dumbarton MSP, pictured right, said:  “We want to have a healthy nation where people are able to live their lives to the full.
“However, this study shows that almost two in five adults now have a long-term health condition which limits their daily activities, while over 80% say their long-term condition has caused them at least one impairment, often relating to mobility or mental health.
“Our hard-working NHS staff do an excellent job in helping those who are struggling with their health, but we must also take a more proactive approach in trying to prevent people from developing long-term health conditions in the first place.
“This means fixing our health service, promoting active lifestyles, and encouraging people to make healthy choices including eating well and cutting down on junk food.
“The SNP has had 18 years in power and yet we have the highest number of adults ever recorded with at least one long-term condition, while Health Secretary Neil Gray is more interested in talking about Scottish independence than providing real solutions.
“Scottish Labour will make public health a top priority and do whatever it takes to fix our NHS after years of SNP mismanagement.”
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Chapter 1: Mental Health and Wellbeing

In 2024:

  • After increasing for the first time since the pandemic in 2023 (48.9), mental wellbeing (mean WEMWBS scores[1]) for adults remained at a similar level (48.5).

A line graph showing trends in mental wellbeing scores for all adults from 2008 to 2024. There is very little change in scores for 2008 to 2019 with a drop in 2021 and 2022. Adult WEMWBS mean scores rose in 2023 and remained at a similar level in 2024.

  • The proportion of adults with a possible psychiatric disorder (22%) (GHQ-12 score of 4 or more[2]) remained at a similar level to 2023 (21%) following a decrease from 2022 (27%).
  • One in four (25%) females reported a possible psychiatric disorder (GHQ-12 score of 4 or more), significantly more than males (18%).
  • The proportion of adults with a possible psychiatric disorder (GHQ-12 score of 4 or more) was highest among those living in the most deprived areas (31%) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (17%).
  • The proportion of adults who reported having felt lonely ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’ decreased from 10% in 2023 to 7%, similar to the proportion in 2021 (8%).
  • Thirteen per cent of adults self-reported eating behaviours and feelings related to food that could be indicative or a possible eating disorder[3]. This was highest for those aged 16-24 (26%) and lowest for those aged 65 and over (4%-5%).

A bar graph showing prevalence of two or more eating behaviours and feelings related to food that could be indicative of a possible eating disorder for adults in 2024 by age and sex. The chart shows that prevalence of eating behaviours and feelings related to food that could be indicative of a possible eating disorder are higher among younger adults and females.

  • Adults with self-reported eating behaviours and feelings related to food that could be indicative of a possible eating disorder had a significantly lower mean WEMWBS score (42.2) compared with those who did not (49.4).

In 2023/2024 combined:

  • The prevalence of two or more symptoms of depression[4] among adults was 10%, a decrease from 13% in 2021/2022 combined.  
  • The prevalence of two or more symptoms of depression was much higher among adults living in the most deprived areas (23%) than among those living in the least deprived areas (4%).
  • Consistent with previous years, a larger proportion of females reported two or more symptoms of anxiety[5] (18%) compared with males (13%).
  • Adults aged 16-34 were most likely to have intentionally self-harmed, 17%-18% compared with 0%-1% among those aged 65 and over.

Chapter 2: General Health, Cardiovascular Conditions, and Caring

In 2024:

  • Seven in ten adults reported their general health to be ‘very good/good’ (70%), a proportion at the lowest end of range 70%-77% recorded since 2008.

A line graph showing trends in the proportion of adults and children reporting good or very good general health from 2008 to 2024. The graph shows self-reported 'very good/good' general health has been relatively consistent among both adults and children across the timeseries.

  • The prevalence of self-reported very good/good general health in adults decreased with age, from 88% among those aged 16-24 to 53% among those aged 75 and over.
  • Half of all adults reported having a long-term condition (50%), the highest proportion in the timeseries. Almost two in five adults (39%) reported having a long-term condition that limited their activities.
  • Over four in five adults (81%) who reported living with a long-term condition experienced at least one impairment as a result, most frequently related to mobility (32%), stamina/breathing/fatigue (28%) and/or mental health (26%).
  • The proportion of adults with doctor-diagnosed diabetes rose to 8%, the highest level recorded.
  • Prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and IHDs increased with age, with highest prevalence among adults aged 75 and over (42%, 20% and 20% respectively).

In 2023/2024 combined:

  • Fifteen per cent of adults reported being unpaid carers, a proportion which was higher among females (17%) compared with males (12%).
  • Among those who provided unpaid care, mean WEMWBS scores ranged from 45.5 among those providing 20-34 hours of unpaid care per week to 49.4 among those providing unpaid care for up to four hours per week.

The link to the whole survey are inserted in green (above).

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