UNISON delegates give Parliament candidates a health check

A lively and entertaining election hustings was held at the Scottish Health Conference on 15 April. Chaired by an impartial Tam Waterson (the Health Committee's own David Dimbleby), Health candidates were put through their paces for over an hour on the future of the NHS in Scotland. The Panel (see pic) consisted of: Jackie Baillie (Scottish Labour, Dumbarton); Ross Finnie (Scottish Liberal Democrats, Greenock and Inverclyde and West List); Maurice Golden (Scottish Conservatives (Cunningham North); Patrick Harvie (Scottish Greens, Glasgow list); Nicola Sturgeon (Scottish National Party and Glasgow Southside list). Devolution has matured, as have Scottish political parties, no longer slavishly following their London policies. None of the panellists promoted reform similar to the Andrew Lansley Bill for NHS England. Maurice Golden did see an important role for the private and voluntary sector delivering health and social care. Ross Finnie pointed up the need to very the salaries of very senior managers and talked of a 10% pay cut. He regretted the pay freeze for the majority , but considered it necessary given the current state of public finances. Both committed to no redundancies and protecting the 'frontline'. Patrick Harvie reminded conference that health care was crucial to one of the "five giants" that Beveridge declared should be slain during post-war reconstruction (want, disease, squalor, ignorance, idleness) at a time when the National Debt was similar to today. He challenged MSPs not to pass on Westminster cuts and to use powers in Scotland to raise revenue for public services. Jackie Baillie promised to protect the Organisational Change policy as well as the 'no compulsory redundancy' commitment for the five year life of the next parliament. She recognised the pain of current efficiencies on staff and workload and committed to continuing close partnership working with NHS Trade unions. Jackie spoke to her plans to create a National Care Service, repeating that NHS employment policies and protections would extend to staff. Jackie signalled that incremental progression was a protected condition of service. Nicola Sturgeon highlighted the SNP record in Government in opposing privatisation (Stracathro Treatment Centre, cleaning and catering, GP legislation); the introduction of the 'Living Wage' at £7.29; she made similar guarantees over the 'no compulsory redundancy/ organisational change policy over the life of the next Parliament; incremental progression was a contractual entitlement; PFI was not used for the Southern General development. The SNP favoured the 'lead commissioning' model for integrated care which entailed no organisational reform. The current Cabinet Secretary was a advocate of partnership working with UNISON and other NHS Trade Unions.