MAREE TODD: Far north is still feeling effects of austerity - and people are anxious ahead of winter
Holyrood Notebook by Maree Todd
I was struck by the glaring hypocrisy of Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week, following the release of Lord Darzi’s report, which laid bare the broken state of the NHS in England after 14 years of Tory rule.
The report condemned previous governments, calling the 2010s the most austere decade since the NHS’s founding, referring to it as a “lost decade” for the health service.
The impact of the coalition years, when the Lib Dems propped up a Tory government, is still being felt all over the UK, including here in Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
Welfare reform widened inequalities and harmed the nation’s health, and the NHS was seriously underfunded. Research shows the devastating impact of the austerity measures ushered in by the coalition, which shortened lives and resulted in 190,000 excess deaths across the UK between 2010 and 2019.
Yet, despite knowing the devastating impact of Tory/Lib Dem austerity cuts, Keir Starmer has moved forward with slashing support for Winter Fuel Payments, which will leave many vulnerable pensioners in the cold this winter.
If Starmer thinks that forcing pensioners to endure the cold – despite the serious health risks – will somehow reduce the strain on the broken NHS in England that he aims to rebuild, he is mistaken.
While the SNP Scottish Government is doing everything it can to protect people from Westminster imposed austerity, Labour’s crippling spending cuts have a marked effect on Scotland’s budget and the money available to spend on public services, social security, and infrastructure investment.
The Scottish Government does not want to be in the position where it is means-testing Winter Fuel Payments, but this decision has been imposed upon us by the new Labour government.
I know this will be devastating for many, especially those in my constituency and across the Highlands, where colder temperatures and higher energy costs make bills even harder to manage.
Many elderly constituents have already reached out to me, anxious about how they’ll stay warm this winter. They’re finding it hard to comprehend that a Labour government which promised “change” is now using a tactic straight out of the Tory playbook by targeting the most vulnerable people in our communities.
Despite the challenging financial backdrop, the First Minister has set out a Programme for Government (PFG) which is focused on strengthening our NHS.
Our National Treatment Centres (NTC) have been an outstanding success with the Highland one being a prime example. NHS Highland has surpassed its orthopaedic procedure target by nearly 28 per cent.
The PFG pledges to provide the NHS with the resources needed to free up 210,000 outpatient appointments and perform an additional 20,000 orthopaedic, ophthalmology, and general surgery procedures annually in our NTCs.
While the NTC in Inverness is delivering significant benefits to people across the Highlands, I recognise the need to improve local healthcare services and delivery outside of Inverness.
There are many complex challenges that come with delivering modern high-quality healthcare in a region like ours, but I’m determined to work with NHS Highland and the Scottish Government to deliver improvements.
Last week, I had a productive meeting with the Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) in Thurso, where we discussed these issues and how we can work together constructively. I’m also due to meet with NHS Highland’s chief midwife soon and look forward to updating CHAT afterwards.
• Maree Todd is the SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross.
