Tag: Health Secretary Michael Matheson

Winter pressures on health and social care

Health Secretary Michael Matheson met frontline A&E staff at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley today to see first-hand how services are coping with peak winter demand.

Mr Matheson thanked teams for their ongoing efforts and met RAH staff working to keep the flow of patients moving through the hospital to help reduce pressures building up in the emergency department, and avoid people being delayed in hospital longer than necessary.  

With hospitals across the country remaining extremely busy, Mr Matheson thanked the public for continuing to do their part to help ease pressure on A&E by considering if their condition is an emergency before attending.

Mr Matheson said: “Our health and care services are now dealing with peak winter demand. There is no doubt the situation remains very challenging so I am extremely grateful to all our highly skilled and committed NHS and social care staff for their continued hard work and dedication.

“The public have really played their part so far, by considering whether their condition is an emergency before going to A&E. To help relieve pressure on services it’s vital everyone continues to do that. Local GPs and pharmacies can be contacted during the day for non-critical care, NHS 24 is also available on 111 for non-emergencies, and the NHS Inform website is an invaluable resource.

“However, let me be clear – urgent care will always be available for those who need it. If someone needs emergency care they should call 999 or go straight to A&E.

“The NHS 24 service dealt with significant demand over Christmas and New Year and, although very challenging, the system handled the large volume of calls very well, which was down to all those involved in the implementation of months of pre-winter planning, which started in spring, to ensure services were available to those in need.

“I am especially grateful to those across health and social care who sacrificed their time and worked over the bank holidays.”

Mr Matheson remains under investigation by the Scottish Parliament’s Corporate Body over his explanation of £11,000 data roaming costs on his parliamentary i-Pad incurred during a family holiday.

Funding to expand Scotland’s medical workforce

Extra training places for doctors in 2024

Record levels of investment will see an additional 153 trainee doctor posts created next year in what will be the largest ever annual expansion.

This level of expansion represents a 2.3% increase above the current whole time equivalent workforce of 6570 trainees.

The additional posts, costing £42m over the next four years, are being funded by the Scottish Government to help meet growing demand in a number of key specialties.

NHS Education for Scotland recommended uplifts in 24 different specialties overall, including anaesthetics, emergency medicine, general practice, intensive care medicine, paediatrics, psychiatry and surgery. Successful applicants will take up their posts in August 2024.

Health Secretary (at time of writing – Ed.) Michael Matheson said: “Funding for these additional places will help to relieve some of the pressures currently facing our health service.

“The level of expansion taking place in 2024 – the largest ever – shows the Scottish Government’s continued investment and commitment to ensure that our health service is equipped to deliver timely and effective care to those who need it.

“Under this government NHS staffing is at a historically high level – up by around 29,100 whole time equivalent.

“We will continue to work with NHS Education for Scotland to support our trainees and ensure that we have a sufficient supply of doctors to meet future demand.”

NHS Education for Scotland Medical Director Emma Watson said: “We welcome this announcement of additional posts across a wide range of specialties and in particular general practice.

“The increase will ensure we can support our doctors to work more flexibly where communities need them. We believe Scotland offers the highest quality medical education. Our trainees are a key part of the NHS workforce of the future – enabling us to offer better quality care and outcomes for every citizen in Scotland.”

Scotland’s Health Secretary marks 75th anniversary of the NHS

Staff thanked for their efforts and dedication

Health Secretary Michael Matheson has paid tribute to the staff who have helped deliver the NHS throughout its 75 year existence.

Mr Matheson praised the extraordinary efforts of those involved with the service, particularly in the recent years of the pandemic. He also expressed his gratitude to those whose spirit of innovation has helped the NHS adapt over the years.

He said: “We are fortunate beyond words to have a National Health Service free at the point of need for every single one of us. Looking around the globe, it is clear that what we accept as a basic human right is not enjoyed by the majority of the world’s population.

“On this day, the 75th anniversary of our NHS, I cannot express enough how grateful I am to the people who have delivered this extraordinary service through all these years.

“Working in the NHS has not always been easy – particularly during the covid pandemic, but along with their colleagues in social care, NHS staff worked in tremendously difficult circumstances to care for those who needed them. Together they saved countless lives and their contribution will never be forgotten.

“From the world’s first ‘test tube baby’, through to robotic surgery, and then vaccinations and treatments for Covid-19 being rolled out at incredible pace – our health service has always been ready to adapt to new technologies and scientific developments.

“That spirit of innovation will be ever more crucial in the years to come, as the NHS and social care face new and different challenges, and it’s something we are determined to harness here in Scotland.

“With the continued support of people across the country, and the unwavering dedication of NHS staff, I have no doubt the NHS will be celebrating many more anniversaries in the years to come.”

Strikes looming in Scotland as junior doctors vote for industrial action

Junior doctors in Scotland have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action over pay following a five week ballot of BMA Scotland members.

With more than 5000 junior doctors in Scotland eligible to vote, turnout was in excess of 71% – with a total of 3610 votes cast, and almost 97% in favour of strike action.

While negotiations with the Scottish Government over pay are ongoing BMA Scotland will use this clear mandate for strike action to push forward in our ongoing efforts to reverse the unacceptable pay erosion junior doctors in Scotland have suffered for more than a decade.

Should the Scottish Government not put forward a credible offer that the BMA believes could be put to members, junior doctors in Scotland would then begin preparations for a 72-hour walkout at dates to be confirmed in due course.

Dr Chris Smith, chair of the BMA’s Scottish Junior Doctors Committee, said: “This ballot result shows, beyond doubt, that junior doctors in Scotland have had enough.

“Years of pay erosion have seen the take home salary of a newly qualified FY1 doctor decline by 23.5% in real-terms compared to 2008, and the pay of an average registrar reduced by 23.9%. This is simply unacceptable, and we are no longer prepared to stand aside, feeling overworked and undervalued, while witnessing so many junior doctors seeking employment abroad or outside the NHS where our considerable skills are properly valued.

“Investing in today’s junior doctors by paying them the salary they deserve is essentially making a down payment on the future of Scotland’s NHS – today’s junior doctors are the GPs, specialist doctors and consultants of the future. Without a serious plan to reverse pay erosion, these doctors will go on leaving Scotland’s NHS, undermining any plans to build a sustainable NHS for generations to come.

“We have made, and continue to make, progress with Scottish Government in formal negotiations on pay, but there is still some work to do before there is an offer that we believe could be credibly put to members.

“In the meantime – we will use this mandate to urge the Cabinet Secretary to signal a clear commitment to investing in the future of Scottish junior doctors, to make Scotland’s NHS an attractive place to train, grow and progress our careers, and show us that the work we do is finally properly, and fairly, valued and appreciated.

“We are not asking for huge pay increases – we are simply asking for a tangible step towards addressing the pay erosion our profession has suffered for well over a decade, combined with a clear plan for this to be reversed and restored.

“Should a credible pay offer not be forthcoming in the wake of this overwhelming mandate, our members are clear that they would have no choice but to stage a 72-hour walkout of all services across Scotland’s NHS.”

Health Secretary Michael Matheson said that he was disappointed with the junior doctors’ ballot decision but said the Scottish Government will continue to negotiatw with BMA Scotland to find a resolution.