Scotland has a tradition of excellent healthcare but Conservative misrule and theintroduction of the internal market in 1991 has eroded that tradition. Competitivetendering, the purchase provider split, and 'efficiency savings' have all led to a lack ofresources in the National Health Service and a general lack of morale amongst staff.

There have been many NHS casualties under Tory rule:

Prescription charges have rocketed, although half the drugs prescribed by the NHS arecheaper than the current rate of £5.50.

In the early 1980s administration costs were only 5% of the NHS budget, but now they havemore than doubled to 12%. And between 1990 and 1994, the number of administrative staffincreased by a massive 22%.

The 1995 Budget saw Government spending on NHS capital programmes fall by 16.9%. This meansthat the NHS is expected to acquire the shortfall from the private sector. The trend istowards profitability becoming the only criterion for capital development to go ahead, andis a deeply worrying development.

Since 1991, the number of specialist hospital beds has decreased by 16%, there are 22% fewermaternity beds and 12% fewer geriatric beds. The number of acute psychiatric beds has halvedsince 1989 yet admissions have risen by 33% causing severe overcrowding.

45% of the Scottish public never visit a dentist except when in pain yet cancer of the mouthkills as many people as cervical cancer and depends on early detection. But charges deterpeople from regularly visiting their dentist.

It is NHS staff and users who have felt the pain of this Tory.

In comparison to North America and most other European countries, the NHS in the UK isunderfunded, with the result that standards fall towards the bottom end of those achievedelsewhere in Europe.

The SNP's budget proposals allocate an additional £65 million in each of the first fouryears of independence in order to cover the cost of priority health spending. One priorityis the abolition of means-testing for the residential care of the elderly which only existsbecause of a political decision to reduce the number of long-term NHS beds.

Our proposals also include a Central Health Commission, chaired by the Health minister, butbroadly representative of political opinion and health professional advice. This wouldovercome the unaccountability of the present system. There is no place for fundholding ortrust status which has built up a two tier fragmented system within the Scottish HealthService.

Scotland has witnessed decline under Tory rule and knows that New Labour cannot be trustedto restore the NHS. The SNP's health policy supports the provision of a comprehensive healthservice of the highest standard, financed from general taxation, and available free to allat the point of need.

With a clear policy for reform of NHS structures in order to make patient care not marketphilosophy the priority, and a fully costed commitment to the NHS, the SNP can provide whatis Best for Scotland - a real National Health Service and health care for all.

Cllr Dr Iain Glen
SNP Health Spokesperson
Councillor for Aviemore ward on Highland Council


Dr Alexander Glen is the Health Spokesperson for the Scottish National Party and Councillor for the Aviemore ward on the Highland Council.

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If you would like to know more about the SNP and HELP SCOTLAND contact snp.hq@snp.org.uk or visit the official the Scottish National Party web site.

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