Terminally ill people and families of those who suffered as they died have come together to urge MSPs to vote for Liam McArthur MSP’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill in the Scottish Parliament.
The letter, signed by 54 people with lived experience across Scotland, tells of the fear of facing a painful and protracted death without the option of an assisted death, and the bleak options with which they are left, including ending their own lives behind closed doors.
Those who have witnessed a loved one suffer as they die highlight extreme suffering that is beyond the reach of any palliative care, leaving those behind with harrowing memories.
The lead signatory of the letter, Norma Rivers, 73, from Ayr, has terminal myeloma – a rare form of blood cancer. Having witnessed her father’s traumatic death from cancer, she knows she doesn’t want to suffer as she dies.
Norma said: “Having no choice can force people into things they don’t want to do. I want to live as long as possible, but I am running out of treatment options.
“If the Bill isn’t passed before I die, I will take matters into my own hands. I have just been living in fear, trying to work out which of my drugs I need and how much, and scared I’ll end up worse if it doesn’t work.
“All I ask if for a peaceful ending surrounded by my family.”
FULL TEXT OF THE LETTER
Dear MSPs,
We have come together as terminally ill people and families of those who suffered as they died, to ask you to vote for the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill at Stage 3.
We are the real people at the heart of this Bill. Some of us face a terminal diagnosis ourselves, while others have witnessed a loved one suffer unbearably at the end of life. When you voted for the Bill at Stage 1, we know that you did so with our stories in your minds, and we ask you to please do the same at Stage 3. The Stage 1 vote brought such relief and hope to us, that no one else might have to suffer as we have.
For those of us with a terminal diagnosis, denying us choice will not stop us seeking it out. Without assisted dying, we are coerced into suffering against our wishes. Many of us have already seen a loved one suffer and know what is coming. Like the vast majority of Scots, we are priced out of travelling to Switzerland.
We do not want to die alone in a foreign country, but could not risk our loved ones facing prosecution when they return without us. The only other option is to end our own lives behind closed doors. This means endless sleepless nights calculating the combination and amounts of drugs we need and the intense fear that none of it will work and we will end up in a worse position than before.
Watching a loved one suffer has put us in impossible situations too. The agony we have witnessed, even with the very best palliative and hospice staff doing everything they can, is unimaginable.
We have been left powerless, hands tied by the law, as our closest family begged us to help them; to take them to Switzerland when we know they are too far gone, or o scour the dark web for pills, not knowing what’s in them or where they come from.
The law abandoned us when we needed it most, leaving us to scramble around in the dark with no process, no safeguards, and no compassion. We are only left with harrowing memories, guilt that we were powerless to help, and our own health conditions caused by the stress.
Assisted dying would be a lifeline. It would let us live the rest of our lives in peace, making precious final memories with our loved ones, without the constant dread of how our lives will end. It’s too late for our loved ones who have died, but we have the opportunity to make things ight so no one has to suffer as they did.
This issue is not going away. Voting against this Bill will not stop us from dying, but will deny us a lifeline to a safe, peaceful death surrounded by our loved ones.
You have before you an opportunity to shape what an assisted dying law in Scotland looks like.
A law that is safe, compassionate, and provides choice to those who so desperately need it. Without it, our options are bleak. The most dangerous thing you can do for us is nothing.
Please give us hope by voting for the Assisted Dying Bill.
Funding to strengthen emergency response and tackle health inequalities
At least a thousand additional defibrillators and targeted support will be rolled out to improve cardiac arrest survival rates in communities with the poorest outcomes.
First Minister John Swinney announced a £2.5 million investment to improve community capacity to respond to cardiac arrests through the purchase of 1,000 – 1,250additional defibrillators over three years.
The funding will also support:
new Cardiac Arrest Rescue (CARe) Zones to strengthen the community response to cardiac arrests, such as increased CPR training in schools. Areas facing the greatest inequalities will be prioritised.
creation of first responder networks that can respond to emergencies quickly in remote areas
promotion and increased uptake of the GoodSAM app, supported by the Scottish Ambulance Service, which alerts registered users to nearby cardiac arrests so they can provide first response.
Around 3,700 people experience a cardiac arrest outside hospital every year and defibrillators can help restart the heart before emergency services arrive. The additional defibrillators will be placed in areas where data shows they are most needed.
The First Minister met Scottish Ambulance Service staff and cardiac arrest survivor John Sinclair, who received CPR from a responder using the GoodSAM app.
Mr Swinney said: “Surviving a cardiac arrest often depends on what happens in the minutes before an ambulance arrives.
“That is why we are investing £2.5 million to deliver more defibrillators into communities, strengthen local response networks and ensure more people have the skills and confidence to act.
“Survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have increased since 2015 thanks to the work of Save a Life partners in training more than one million people in CPR skills and improving defibrillation rates. We can and must, however, do more – and this investment will deliver targeted support in the areas that need it most.
“We will work towards ensuring there is a defibrillator within reach of every incident, using evidence to identify the best locations and modes of delivery. We are determined to build a Scotland where everyone, regardless of where they live, has the best possible chance of surviving a cardiac arrest and can live healthier, longer lives.”
Chair of Save a Life for Scotland Dr Gareth Clegg said: “This £2.5 million investment is a transformative step for communities across Scotland.
“By expanding access to defibrillators in the places they are most needed, we are giving many more people the chance to survive cardiac arrest and return home to their families.
“This funding will allow the University of Edinburgh to work in close partnership with the Scottish Ambulance Service, councils, emergency services, schools and third-sector organisations to ensure defibrillators are not only more numerous, but more equitably and strategically deployed in communities that are ready to use them.”
We want to ensure that everyone has the best possible chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.
Our £2.5 million investment will:
• deliver more defibrillators into communities • strengthen local response networks and • ensure more people have the skills and confidence to act pic.twitter.com/oaje6gS4Sn
Arthritis UK Scotland is calling on each political party to have a credible plan to improve the lives of people with musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions like arthritis, as the countdown to the Holyrood elections starts.
The charity is calling for a better deal for the 1.7m people in Scotland living with arthritis and other MSK conditions, including 48,000 children and young people, in its manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Elections, published today Scottish Parliament Election 2026 | Arthritis UK
This is because there is currently no plan that considers the needs of this group, which totals one in three people in Scotland, living with the pain, fatigue, disability and the mental and financial strain these conditions cause.
In Scotland, one in three people with arthritis/MSK conditions say their condition severely or very severely impacts their life. And one in three people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis on the first day of the new Scottish parliament will have been forced out of work due to their condition, by the end of that same parliament, reports Arthritis UK Scotland’s manifesto.
The document sets out the steps the next Scottish government must take to tackle the impact of these conditions, currently causing unnecessary chronic pain and disability. It calls for:
· A relentless focus on tackling orthopaedic waiting times. Parts of Scotland continue to lose out and overall, demand continues to grow. A national plan that sets out how targets will be met must be created.
· Access to surgery to be based on need and adheres to guidance, not applying body mass index policies as eligibility criteria.
Bobby from Stranraer was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in 2020, but it was more than two years before Bobby was even added to the waiting list for surgery. He said:‘I’d been suffering with a great deal of pain in both knees for some time. It was like someone was hitting my knees with a mash hammer.
“It played havoc with my thoughts, my mind, my life. The mental impact was phenomenal. You feel like you’re a burden when you can’t do things. You try to keep going through the pain.’
Deborah Alsina MBE, Chief Executive of Arthritis UK, said:‘The next Scottish parliament must tackle orthopaedic waiting times, improve services and deliver a long-term plan for better musculoskeletal health.
‘These are urgent priorities. People with arthritis in Scotland are being let down. They can wait years for diagnosis, struggle to access treatment and face barriers to work and independence. They are twenty percent less likely to be in work than people without arthritis, and people in the poorest communities are hit hardest. It is a public health issue, an equality and workforce challenge.’
Alan McGinley, Policy and Engagement Manager for Scotland, Arthritis UK, said:‘None of the political parties in Scotland have a credible plan on how to tackle musculoskeletal conditions, yet one in three people in Scotland living with them.
“Of these people, sixty-two percent say they live in pain most or all the time due to their arthritis. This means the needs of this group are not being addressed and that just isn’t good enough.’
A recent survey commissioned by Arthritis UK and carried out by YouGov, surveyed nearly 8,000 people with arthritis in the UK. Of these, over 1,000 were from Scotland.
The results showed:
· Over sixty percent (62) are living in pain most of the time due to their arthritis
· Nearly forty percent (37) felt their condition was not well managed
· Forty five percent said their ability to exercise was affected severely or very severely by their symptoms
· Nearly seventy (69) percent said waiting for treatment had an impact on their mental health
· Nearly fifty percent (49) said their symptoms were not taken seriously by healthcare professionals
· Fifty-six percent said arthritis had impacted on their working lives.
In 2026, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival celebrates its 20th year!
In 2026, the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival celebrates its 20th Year. Taking place from 19 October to 8 November, it’s an opportunity to recognise two decades of mental health and creativity while looking at where we are now and where we might go next.
Our theme for this milestone year, Reflections, invites artists, communities and audiences across Scotland to pause, take stock and explore how our experiences, stories and creativity shape our mental health, individually and collectively.
GET INVOLVED!
SMHAF takes place across Scotland and covers all artforms, reaching around 17,500 people each year. It spotlights art inspired by mental health, explores how the arts and creativity can help everyone to have better mental health, and provides a platform for everyone to be creative.
We’re inviting you – organisations, artists, communities and individuals – to help us bring our Reflections theme to life, and explore how looking back can help us imagine what comes next.
Whether you’re working on a creative project, have an idea for an event, would like to help develop your local programme, or want to talk about anything else, please get in touch at smhaf@mentalhealth.org.uk.
SMHAF is led by the Mental Health Foundation and is supported by Multi-Year Funding from @creativescots and national partners.
Ahead of May’s election, Scotland’s sexual and reproductive health leaders are calling on an incoming Scottish Government to put high‑quality, accessible care at the top of its agenda to reduce health inequalities, improve public health and strengthen the country’s economy.
For the first time, The College of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (CoSRH), the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG), the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV (BASHH), and the British HIV Association (BHIVA) – which collectively represent more than 3,000 sexual and reproductive healthcare professionals across Scotland – have come together to publish Improving Scotland’s Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare: A Joint Manifesto for the Next Scottish Parliament.
While the manifesto acknowledges Scotland’s progress through initiatives like the Women’s Health Plan and the Sexual and Blood‑Borne Virus Action Plan, it also makes clear that the system is under real strain.
Demand for services has risen sharply, including a 50% increase in abortions in less than 10 years, rising rates of sexually transmitted infections and HIV testing numbers surpassing pre‑COVID levels. Yet this surge comes at a time when resources remain limited, and workforce pressures continue to grow. These pressures are creating longer waits, busier services and widening gaps in care.
Without decisive action, these pressures risk deepening existing disparities in health outcomes, particularly for women, young people, minority ethnic communities, and under served populations.
The manifesto urges immediate action from the next Scottish Government on five priority areas to improve SRH, HIV, maternity and abortion care across the country:
1. Integrated sexual & reproductive healthcare;
2. Investment to improve maternity services;
3. Deliver the HIV Transmission Elimination Plan and ensure equitable access to STI and BBV testing and treatment;
4. Reduce gynaecology waits and improve care pathways;
5. Implement the recommendations of the Review of Abortion Law in Scotland Expert Group and guarantee access to abortion care up to 24 weeks for all who need it.
Dr Sinead Cook, Chair of the CoSRH Scotland Committee, said: “Scotland has made real progress in women’s health and sexual health, but far too many people still face long waits, limited access and avoidable barriers to the care they need and deserve.
“Improving access to high‑quality sexual and reproductive healthcare not only benefits patients and service users, it also strengthens Scotland’s economy by reducing time lost to poor health.
“That’s why investment in abortion care, menopause care and sexual and reproductive healthcare more broadly must be a priority for the next Scottish Government.”
Dr Alison Wright, President of the RCOG said: “We very much hope that Scotland’s next political leader will seize the opportunity to build upon the strong foundations already laid through the Women’s Health Plan, the review of Scotland’s maternity services and the recommendations of the Review of Abortion Law in Scotland.
“Maternity staff are working under extreme pressure; caring for increasingly complex pregnancies, whilst facing ongoing workforce and resource shortages that affect the provision of safe, personalised care. At the same time, unacceptably long gynaecology waiting lists, rising demand for abortion care, and inequalities in access to sexual and reproductive health services, present significant challenges.
“Addressing the five priority areas set out in this manifesto will enable the next Government to deliver meaningful change where it is most urgently needed for women. We look forward to working with the next Scottish Government and our colleagues across Women’s Health and Maternity services in Scotland, to turn these ambitions into practical improvements in care.”
Dr Graham Leslie, Chair of the BASHH Scottish Branch, said: ““Sexual health and HIV services play a vital role in Scotland’s public health, yet they are operating in an increasingly challenging environment, exacerbated by workforce pressures and persistent inequities in access and outcomes.
“This manifesto sets out clear recommendations to strengthen prevention, expand access to testing and specialist genitourinary medicine, and deliver the HIV Transmission Elimination Plan. With sustained commitment and prioritisation, political leaders can deliver a legacy of world‑leading sexual health and HIV care for everyone who needs it across Scotland.”
Dr Tristan Barber, Chair of the British HIV Association (BHIVA), said: “BHIVA looks forward to ongoing commitment from the next Scottish Government in delivering success for the HIV Transmission Elimination Plan.
“This means funding and removing barriers to equitable access to prevention, testing, and treatment, making all readily available as a fundamental part of routine healthcare. We must also continue to challenge the persistent stigma that keeps key groups on the fringes of the health system, especially women and those from ethnic minorities.
“For those who acquire HIV, early testing and rapid engagement with treatment and care is crucial to both preventing onward transmission and enabling these individuals to live a long and healthy life.
“The next Scottish Government has an opportunity for Scotland to be the first UK nation to achieve the UNAIDS targets of zero HIV transmissions, zero HIV related stigma, and end late diagnosis and HIV related deaths. Scottish Government in achieving these goals.”
Professor Alexis Jay has agreed to chair a statutory Public Inquiry to examine Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE).
In a statement to Parliament, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth confirmed the Scottish Government’s intention to establish a targeted independent Inquiry and establish a Scottish Truth Project.
The Inquiry will focus on the prevalence of group-based CSAE now and in the recent past, whether brought forward by survivors or relating to findings from the independent National Review being led by four Inspectorates.
The new Inquiry will be distinct from the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry (SCAI), chaired by Lady Smith. The Scottish Government will ensure the new Inquiry does not duplicate the valuable work of the SCAI.
The scope of the Inquiry and its detailed terms of reference will be finalised and confirmed in due course, following input from Prof Jay.
The Education Secretary also announced that the Government intends to establish a Truth Project in Scotland, to enable victims and survivors of CSAE to share their experiences to help inform change and access support.
This afternoon, I made a statement to the Scottish Parliament outlining the @scotgov’s position on protecting children from harm.
I confirmed my intention to establish a statutory public inquiry to consider Scotland’s response to group-based child sexual abuse and exploitation. pic.twitter.com/JkvPcOY2hn
Ms Gilruth said: “Survivors of abuse want to see accountability and improvement delivered as quickly as possible, and that sense of urgency is shared by the Scottish Government.
“We are determined to act decisively to protect children from the horrendous harm of child sexual abuse and exploitation.
“I consider the establishment of a Public Inquiry to be essential, and from discussions I know Professor Jay wants to ensure that the Inquiry is carried out at pace. Announcing an Independent Public Inquiry today will not cure all which has come before, but it is a statement of intent from this Government that we will leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of justice for survivors of child sexual abuse.
“The work of the National Review and Police Scotland’s ongoing review of cases of group-based abuse will ensure that any improvements that must be made to practice or action to bring perpetrators to justice is taken as quickly as possible.
“The Truth Project, to be led by John O’Brien, will ensure that the voice of survivors is central to our collective efforts so that every action is informed by their experience and brings about the changes they have told me must be made.”
Professor Alexis Jay said: “The sexual and criminal exploitation of children entails abuse of the most horrific kind, usually at the hands of many perpetrators.The Public Inquiry will get to the truth of exploitation in Scotland in the past and the present, in order to prevent it in the future.
“It will examine the extent to which public authorities and other organisations effectively identify the risk of child exploitation and take action to protect children. I will engage with victims and survivors early, as the terms of reference are formed.”
Commenting on the Scottish Government announcement today of a public inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First said: “Children First have long supported victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to fight for better systems of prevention, detection and protection. Scotland has a duty to confront the harm children have suffered and to put a stop to more children being abused.
“We now need to see full details of this inquiry so we can understand its scope and how it will ensure children’s voices and rights are placed at its centre.
“What cannot wait is urgent investment in specialist support like that provided by Bairns Hoose. This must be made available to every child who needs it so they can safely disclose harm and receive all the help they need to heal and reclaim their childhood.”
Health Secretary hails ‘undeniable progress’ in tacking long waits
New figures show waiting lists in Scotland continue to fall with waits of over a year decreasing for 8 consecutive months.
Data from Public Health Scotland shows, at 31 January 2026, new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks have more than halved since July 2025 – with the total waits decreasing by 52.6% in that period.
Long waits for inpatient and day case procedures have also fallen every month since July 2025, with 52 week waits decreasing by 29.8% in that 8 month period.
New quarterly diagnostics statistics also show that, at 31 December 2025, the number of waits for one of the eight key diagnostic tests had decreased by 15.1% when compared to 30 September 2025.
The figures also show diagnostic activity has risen – 245,377 diagnostic tests were completed from September 2025 to December 2025, a 10.2% (22,741) increase in activity when compared to the same quarter last year. This means thousands of patients receiving their MRIs, scans and scopes quicker to support faster diagnosis and referral onto the right patient pathway.
On a visit to the dermatology department at the Lauriston Building in NHS Lothian, where new outpatient waits over 52 weeks have fallen by more than 46%, Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “We are making undeniable progress in clearing waits of over a year – we are demonstrating consistent month-on-month improvement.
“We know there is still more to do but these latest figures show that our plan is working and our NHS is turning a corner.
“We continue to see downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators and diagnostic activity is up – this means thousands more people getting their MRIs, scans and scopes quicker.
“Our targeted funding for this year is delivering thousands more operations and procedures and appointments compared to last year, and we are determined to build on this momentum. This progress has been driven by our dedicated and hard-working NHS staff. I thank them for their outstanding efforts.
“I was pleased to meet the dermatology team at the Lauriston Building to hear how they are driving progress in clearing waits at NHS Lothian.
“The total list size for new outpatient waits of more than 52 weeks has reduced by 46.4% since July 2025, with dermatology waits reducing by 67.78% in that period. This is outstanding progress that we want to see replicated across the country.”
NHSGGC and Public Health Scotland encourage smokers to ‘Quit Your Way’
A trio of people who quit smoking after a combined 120 years have backed a new national campaign aimed at helping smokers across Scotland quit.
Alan Duthie from Easterhouse, Karen Turnbull from Clydebank and Patricia Weir from Port Glasgow are complete strangers to each other, but they all have one thing in common – they all smoked from their early teens through to middle age, developing an addiction that impacted their health and drained their finances.
However, with free support from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, they now have one more thing in common – they’re all smoke-free thanks to Quit Your Way and they’re urging anyone who smokes to do the same.
Quit Your Way is the free national stop smoking service which offers information, advice and support, including nicotine replacement products and medication, to people who want to stop smoking.
In Greater Glasgow and Clyde, people can get face to face help to quit in groups or one-to-one settings, telephone support, access to a free app or help through their local pharmacy – all at no-cost. There’s also specialist help in maternity, mental health and prison services.
With around 600,000 people in Scotland still addicted to tobacco products, a fresh campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the range of free and confidential support available to help people stop smoking and stay stopped.
And Alan, Karen and Patricia – who all quit individually through NHSGGC support – are collectively encouraging anyone who wants to stop smoking to get in touch with Quit Your Way and take their first step towards going smoke-free.
Alan, 51, who’s six years smoke-free and got support at Easterhouse Health Centre, said: “I now see myself as a non-smoker, and other members of my family have joined me in quitting.
“I’d say to anyone who’s thinking of giving up – seize the opportunity and reach out for support. There’s always help and encouragement and the Quit Your Way team will gladly give you the assistance and encouragement you need.”
Karen, 55, who quit last April through Clydebank Health Centre, said: “Stopping smoking was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do but if I can do it, you can too.
“I called up the help line and got one-to-one support within a week. It made a huge difference and smoking just isn’t a part of my life anymore.”
Patricia, 62, who had her last cigarette in August 2025 and quit using the medication Varenicline, said: “I had tried before but the support from Quit Your Way made a difference this time.
“I’d been really ill and decided it was time to quit and now I feel much better and have more money in my pocket.”
Lisa Buck, NHSGGC Quit Your Way programme manager, said: “Stopping smoking brings health and wellbeing benefits within days and it can also save people thousands of pounds each year.
“Quit Your Way advisers can help people choose the free support that suits them best and with our help you’re more likely to stop smoking and stop for good.”
To find out more or to speak to a Quit Your Way advisor visit www.QuitYourWay.scot, drop in to your local pharmacy or call 0800 84 84 84.
Scotland’s leading healthcare organisations raise serious concerns over proposed changes to Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill
A group of six major medical and healthcare membership organisations in Scotland has issued a joint consensus statement warning of their significant concern regarding changes now being proposed to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
The organisations – whose members span a wide range of clinical and ethical perspectives on assisted dying – emphasise that while they take no collective position on the principle of assisted dying, they are united in their concern that provisions relating to no duty to participate and conscientious objection may be removed from the Bill, and the impact that this could have on the workforce.
The Scottish Government has recently indicated that key provisions relating to ‘no duty to participate’, as well as other protections linked to professional regulation and employment rights are not within devolved powers and may be removed from the Bill at Stage 3. These issues would instead be addressed later through a Section 104 Order – secondary legislation that receives only limited parliamentary scrutiny.
The signatory organisations state that removing issues of such significance risk undermining both professional confidence and public trust.
The joint letter, sent today to Liam McArthur MSP, the Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, as well as the Secretary of State and Chair of the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee states:
“The prospect of removing matters of such professional, ethical, and legal significance from parliamentary scrutiny at Stage 3, and deferring them to secondary legislation after the Bill has passed, raises important questions about transparency, accountability, and the robustness of the legislative process.
“These protections are central to the safe, ethical, and fair delivery of care, and to the confidence of our medical workforce who may be affected by the legislation.”
The organisations highlight four core concerns:
1. Removal of key safeguards from primary legislation
2. Risk to professional confidence and public trust
3. Inadequate scrutiny of consequential provisions
4. Implications for safe and ethical implementation
The group of organisations in consensus express their continuing commitment to work constructively with the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament to ensure that any legislation affecting assisted dying is developed transparently, rigorously, and with full consideration of the healthcare workforce it will impact.
Signatory organisations:
Association for Palliative Medicine (Scotland)
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Five things stroke professionals believe can improve stroke care in Scotland to save lives and livelihoods
The Stroke Association and Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS) have today (23 February) revealed a bid to persuade political parties vying for power in May’s Scottish election to make stroke a priority for the next government.
Stroke is a huge health issue in Scotland. More than 10,000 Scottish residents have a stroke every year1 with about 150,000 people currently living in Scotland with the effects of the condition2. It’s the country’s third biggest killer3 and the leading cause of complex adult disability4, which can leave survivors unable to see, speak, move or even swallow.
Scotland is also being left behind by its UK counterparts on stroke. It has the highest incidence of stroke of the four UK nations and the largest proportion of people living with a disability because of stroke5.
More than 200 health professionals and six major health bodies – the British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, the Scottish Stroke Nurses Forum, the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow – are proposing radical change.
The Stroke Association and CHSS are supporting stroke professionals in communicating five cost-effective, practical actions to politicians. These are changes developed by doctors, nurses and allied health professionals themselves. They are:
• Deliver an equitable 24/7 national thrombectomy service. Thrombectomy saves brains and money. It is a standard medical procedure in many countries and should no longer be a postcode lottery in Scotland.
• Increase inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation capacity. Front-loading spending on inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation will save money and promote recovery from stroke by reducing the need for ongoing support.
• Give acute stroke care the same hospital status as other specialist units. Stroke is designated a clinical priority and needs the same protection for beds, staff and other resources that is afforded to coronary care or trauma units.
• Develop an innovative long-term stroke specific workforce recruitment and retention plan. Measures to address the shortfall in stroke staff will include a biggerprofile for stroke in education syllabuses and increased opportunities for careerprogression.
• Ongoing failure to meet stroke standards to be escalated to Health Improvement Scotland. This will make the auditing process more robust and ensure NHS boardsplace greater emphasis on meeting the needs of stroke patients.
John Watson, Associate Director for the Stroke Association in Scotland, said:“Successive Scottish governments have not invested in stroke treatment and care to anything like the level it needs, and it’s taking a terrible toll on lives, livelihoods and the NHS.
“A national thrombectomy service has been promised for years, but progress remains glacially slow. According to the latest figures, less than one in five Scots who needed this life-changing procedure, got it. It can be the difference between resuming life as normal and living with life-limiting disability.
“The stroke community’s other proposals not only put the best interests of patients at heart, but they have also thought about whole hospital systems and the immense pressure on the NHS and social care. Sorting stroke can help address the NHS crisis, not least in reducing the need for ongoing support for stroke survivors.”
Chief Operating Officer at Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, Allan Cowie, said:“Stroke is devastating lives in every community in Scotland – this is impossible to ignore for any successive government. We are seeing more people of working age having strokes, and yet the standard of care they receive depends far too much on where they live and when they arrive at hospital. That is simply unacceptable.
“When only around half of patients receive the basic stroke care bundle that we know leads to better outcomes, and when life-changing procedures like thrombectomy are available to so few, it’s clear that Scotland is still failing people at the moments they need the NHS most.
“The five actions put forward by stroke professionals are practical, evidence-based and affordable – and they would transform the future for thousands of people every year. Investing in stroke care is not only the right thing to do for patients and families, it is one of the smartest ways we can relieve pressure on the NHS and social care.
“Scotland can and must do better. We are calling on all political parties to grasp this moment and commit to delivering stroke as a national priority. Lives, livelihoods and recovery depend on it.”
The latest Scottish Stroke Statistics published in January once again laid out the extent of stroke in Scotland. It devastates lives in all corners of society including increasing incidence of strokes in people of working age (under 65s) over the last 10 years6.
According to the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme annual report 2025 just 52.9% of stroke patients received the stroke care bundle*, which is associated with better patient outcomesagainst a national quality standard of 80%. In 2019 it was 64%.7 The British and Irish Association of Stroke Physicians (BIASP), the professional body representing stroke physicians across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, added:“We are fully supportive of addressing inequalities in patient access and outcomes across all five nations.
“The situation in Scotland is worrying. Standards of stroke treatment and care are sliding, so we have joined forces with other stroke professionals in Scotland to outline what we believe are affordable, deliverable solutions to an increasingly frustrating position.
“For example, thrombectomy is one of the most effective interventions in modern medicine, as it significantly reduces the risk of long-term disability when delivered promptly. Yet Scotland’s specialist thrombectomy units are hampered by limited operating hours, with only one currently performing the procedure seven days a week.
“As stroke doctors, this puts us in a very difficult position. We want every patient who should have a thrombectomy to have access to this life-changing treatment, but we are thwarted by lack of resources, whether human or material.
“We call on the Scottish Government to take action and support us in ensuring thrombectomy is available for all who need it.”
More than 200 doctors, nurses and allied health professionals have signed the Stroke Association and CHSS’s Scottish election campaign call to make their views known to political parties developing their manifestos for May. It is hoped that parties taking stroke seriously will commit to delivering stroke as a priority.
*The stroke care bundle comprises the prompt delivery of a) admission to a stroke unit; b) brain scanning; c) screening for swallow problems; d) administering aspirin (unless contraindicated).
About Thrombectomy
Thrombectomy is a treatment for ischaemic stroke, which removes large arterial blood clots from the brain and reduces the risk of patients having long-term disability such as paralysis, blindness and communication problems. About 1 in 10 peoplewith stroke could benefit from thrombectomy.8
It should be carried out on eligible patients as soon as possible after onset – and ideally within six hours9.
The thrombectomy rate in Scotland is less than half what it is in the rest of the UK – only 2.2% of the total number of patients who had an ischaemic stroke compared to 4.4% for the UK. In Scotland in 2024 this equated to 212 people10 of the more than 1,000 patients who should have had the procedure.
Case study – Tracey Donaldson
Tracey Donaldson, 56, from Glasgow credits thrombectomy for letting her have the retirement she’s worked hard for. Tracey had a stroke on Wednesday, 19th February 2025 – she thinks about 8.45am.
Tracey served as a school secretary for 19 years, taking early retirement in December last year and having previously worked in banking for 20 years.
Rewind to 19th February 2025 and a work colleague noticed Tracey was showing the classic signs of a stroke – her left-side collapsed and she was struggling to speak. School first aiders rushed to the scene and called an ambulance.
She arrived at Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QUEH) at about 10:30am and doctors quickly got to work. She had a CT scan confirming a significant ischemic stroke and was promptly prepared for a thrombectomy, she thinks about two hours after her stroke.
A matter of hours later, Tracey showed nurses that she could walk and her speech had returned.
Incredibly, Tracey passed all the tests set by physiotherapists to check her mobility and was discharged from hospital at 4.30pm on Friday, 21st February.
She said: “I was very tired that first week at home. I had lots of visitors, and it was quite overwhelming at times. But otherwise, it was like I hadn’t had a stroke.”
True to form, Tracey quickly resumed her busy life.
She adds: “I went along to a stroke support group when I retired. Everyone was exceptionally welcoming, but I felt like an imposter as I had no visible effects of the stroke, noting that others around me had not been as fortunate. So, I focused on getting back to normal my way – spending time with family and friends and trying new experiences.”
Tracey concludes: “I strongly believe the recovery from my stroke has been miraculous due to having a thrombectomy quickly. I am forever grateful to the QEUH doctors for saving my life and letting me live life to the full.”
Tracey returned to work in April ‘25, but anxiety brought on by the stroke prompted her to prioritise her health and take early retirement eight months later.
