Former First Minister Alex Salmond will give evidence to the Committee on the Scottish Government’s Handling of Harassment Complaints at Holyrood this afternoon.
The Committee’s remit is to consider and report on the actions of the First Minister, Scottish Government officials and special advisers in dealing with complaints about Alex Salmond, former First Minister, considered under the Scottish Government’s “Handling of harassment complaints involving current or former ministers” procedure and actions in relation to the Scottish Ministerial Code.
In a formal submission to the committee, Mr Salmond maintains that senior members of the SNP colluded with civil servants in an orchestrated campaign to damage his reputation.
He also accuses First Minister Nicola Sturgeon of both misleading parliament and breaking the Ministerial Code. If this is proven, Ms Sturgeon would be expected to resign.
Ms Sturgeon yesterday dismissed Salmond’s claims as ‘a litany of nonsence’.
This is much more serious than a ‘he said, she said’ internal SNP stooshie: the allegations go right to the heart of Scotland’s democratic structures.
So the stakes couldn’t be higher. It remains to be seen whether today’s session will see us inch any closer to the truth …
The Scottish Greens’ Lothian MSP, Alison Johnstone, has called for Lothian Pension Fund to end its multi-million pound investment in fossil fuels and instead make more socially responsible investments.
New research from Friends of the Earth Scotland shows that council pension funds in Scotland invest £1.2bn in fossil fuel giants, with devastating consequences for communities, climate and their own finances.
Lothian Pension Fund, which is operated by City of Edinburgh Council for its own area and on behalf of East Lothian, West Lothian and Midlothian, have agreed not to make new investments in fossil fuel companies they do not already invest in, but this does not end existing investments in climate-wrecking companies, or prevent them from increasing.
Alison Johnstone said: “Public pension funds in Scotland continue to invest millions to bankroll fossil fuel companies every year. Lothian Pension Fund invests £165m in major polluters, at a time when leadership is needed in tackling the climate crisis.
“The public don’t want to see these pension funds exacerbating the problem, particularly when this cash could be invested into socially responsible endeavours like green energy production, house building and public transport improvements.
“This year the world will come to Scotland when Glasgow hosts the UN climate change summit. It’s time for Scotland to take a lead in tackling the climate crisis, and one of the most straightforward ways we can begin to do that is by ending these public investments in big oil and gas.
“Lothian Pension Fund must show that it is serious about tackling the climate emergency by bringing its influence to bear and ending these obscene oil and gas investments.”
Pub goers and beer drinkers from across the country are urging MSPs to support a new law being debated this week which would help pub licensees earn a decent living – and increase the choice of local and independent beers on offer in our locals.
The proposed new law – the Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill which has been put forward by Labour MSP Neil Bibby – would introduce a Pubs Code to govern the relationship between tied pub tenants and pub-owning businesses, with an Adjudicator to enforce the rules.
It is designed to prevent national pub-owning businesses from taking more than is fair or sustainable from the profits of their tied tenants who lease pubs from them.
Tied pubs see licensees rent the premises from a pub-owning company, with landlords required to buy beer and other supplies from that company.
The Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee is debating Stage 2 of the Tied Pubs (Scotland) Bill this week.
As well as helping publicans earn a decent living, the Bill would also allow them more choice over which beers they stock, instead of having to buy a restricted range of stock at increasingly high prices from the pub-owning company.
Consumer group CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, is backing the new law, with its branches across the country urging MSPs to pass the legislation without delay to help protect and improve community pubs by allowing tied licensees to earn a decent living and increasing choice of local, independent beers on offer at the bar.
Commenting CAMRA Scotland’s Director Joe Crawford said: “Pub goers and beer drinkers across Scotland are urging MSPs to vote in favour of the Tied Pubs Bill, to make sure that those running tied pubs are treated fairly, can earn a decent living and build back better after the COVID-19 crisis.
“As well as helping licensees, this new law could also see more beers on offer from small, local and independent breweries which will help increase choice for consumers at our locals.
“It’s not fair that large pub-owning businesses can restrict landlords to buying certain beers from them at above-market value and prevent them from support small, local breweries by offering these beers on tap.
“That’s why we are urging MSPs to support the interests of consumers, community pubs and hard-working tied pub tenants over the large pub-owning businesses by voting in favour of the Tied Pubs Bill this week.”
UK Government publishes four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and provide a route back to a more normal way of life
Each step to be assessed against four tests before restrictions ease, starting with the return of schools on 8 March
PM is clear that the decision on each stage will be based on data not dates, and government will move cautiously to keep infection rates under control
The Prime Minister has announced the government’s roadmap to ‘cautiously ease’ lockdown restrictions in England.
In a statement to parliament this afternoon he paid tribute to the extraordinary success of the UK’s vaccination programme and the resolve of the British public in following the lockdown restrictions, which has helped to cut infection rates and reduce the spread of the virus.
He also set out the latest vaccine efficacy data, with Public Health England finding that one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduces hospitalisations and deaths by at least 75%. Analysis of the AstraZeneca vaccine efficacy continues, with promising early results.
Supported by the increased protection offered by these vaccines, the government is able to slowly and cautiously begin to ease restrictions in all areas across England at the same time, guided at all stages by data, not dates.
The roadmap, which has now been published on gov.uk, outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before proceeding to the next step, the Government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous steps.
This assessment will be based on four tests:
The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step: four weeks for the data to reflect changes in restrictions; followed by seven days’ notice of the restrictions to be eased.
The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser have made clear that this will give adequate time to assess the impact of each step and reduce the risk of having to re-impose restrictions at a later date.
As the Prime Minister said, getting children back into school has been the top priority, and so from 8 March all children and students will return to face to face education in schools and college.
By this point, everyone in the top four vaccine priority cohorts – as determined by the independent JCVI – will have received the first dose of their vaccine and developed the necessary protection from it.
Also from this date:
Wraparound childcare and other supervised children’s activities can resume where they enable parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group
Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor provided they are tested and wear PPE
The Stay at Home requirement will remain, but people can leave home for recreation outdoors such as a coffee or picnic with their household or support bubble, or with one person outside their household
Some university students on practical courses will be able to return to face to face learning
As part of step one, there will be further limited changes from 29 March, the week in which most schools will break up for Easter. Outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households will be allowed, providing greater flexibility for families to see each other. This includes in private gardens.
Outdoor sports facilities, such as tennis and basketball courts, will be allowed to reopen, and people can take part in formally organised outdoor sports.
At this point, the Stay at Home order will end, although many lockdown restrictions will remain.
For example, you should continue to work from home where possible, and overseas travel remains banned, aside for a small number of reasons.
The subsequent steps are set out as follows:
Step 2, no earlier than 12 April:
Non-essential retail, personal care premises, such as hairdressers and nail salons, and public buildings, such as libraries and community centres, will reopen.
Most outdoor attractions and settings, including zoos, and theme parks, will also reopen although wider social contact rules will apply in these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households. Drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances will also be permitted.
Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, will also reopen – but only for use by people on their own or with their household.
Hospitality venues can serve people outdoors only. There will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol, and no curfew – although customers must order, eat and drink while seated.
Self-contained accommodation, such as holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.
Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and the numbers able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15 (from 6).
Step 3, no earlier than 17 May:
Outdoors, most social contact rules will be lifted – although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal.
Outdoor performances such as outdoor cinemas, outdoor theatres and outdoor cinemas can reopen.. Indoors, the rule of 6 or 2 households will apply – although we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this.
Indoor hospitality, entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accommodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will also reopen.
Larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is lower) will also be allowed, as will those in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4000 people or half-full (whichever is lower).
In the largest outdoor seated venues where crowds can spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower).
Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals. Other life events that will be permitted include bar mitzvahs and christenings.
Step 4, no earlier than 21 June:
It is hoped all legal limits on social contact can be removed.
We hope to reopen nightclubs, and lift restrictions on large events and performances that apply in Step 3.
This will also guide decisions on whether all limits can be removed on weddings and other life events.
In the meantime, the vaccination programme continues at pace, with the announcement of a new target to offer a first dose of the vaccine to every adult by the end of July.
The government hopes that the increased protection offered by vaccines will gradually replace the restrictions, with the roadmap published today providing the principles of the transition.
MPs will have an opportunity to vote on the regulations that will enable this roadmap in Parliament in the coming weeks.
We continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations as we have throughout the pandemic. They are setting out approaches for easing for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Alex Salmond’s final submission to Wednesday’s committee inquiry has been published.
It’s quite a document, and on reading it you can understand why some people have done their damndest to make sure it never saw the light of day.
Take this, for example:
“I leave it to others the question of what is, or is not, a conspiracy but am clear in my position that the evidence supports a deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort among a range of individuals within the Scottish Government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned.
“The individuals, for the avoidance of doubt: Peter Murrell (Chief Executive), Ian McCann (Compliance Officer) and Sue Riddick (Chief Operating Officer) of the SNP, together with Liz Llloyd, the First Minister’s Chief of Staff.
There are others who, for legal reasons, I am not allowed to name.”
COSLA is calling on all political parties to acknowledge the rightful role of Local Government in their manifestos ahead of this year’s Scottish Parliamentary elections.
The organisation, which represents all 32 Councils in Scotland, hopes parties will reference its recently launched Blueprint in their manifestos and make a commitment to its aspirations.
Commenting today, COSLA President Councillor Alison Evison said: “This last year has been like no other, the forthcoming elections to the Scottish Parliament will be like no other and Local Government is the sphere of Government at the heart of our communities like no other.
“The COSLA Blueprint provides a narrative around the kind of country we want, and about the changes that could make a real difference to communities across the country – the election this year offers the chance to make this a reality.
“The value of Local Government can be seen in our response to Covid-19, where Councils have taken decisive action to support communities, people, and businesses.
“For too long now Local Government has been given a poor diet – and that is why we developed the Local Government Blueprint, which is our menu for change that we want to see.
“The new Parliament provides the opportunity for us to reiterate our value – for too long Scottish Local Government has not had its rightful place at the top table.
“Our response during the pandemic has been remarkable, our Communities have appreciated what we have done on their behalf and realise that only Local Government comprises all of the various ingredients that can truly deliver for our communities
“Therefore we call on all parties to make a commitment to the COSLA Local Government Blueprint in their forthcoming Manifestos.”
The Prime Minister chaired a virtual meeting of G7 Leaders yesterday.
All leaders agreed on the opportunity 2021 presents for the G7 to take a united approach to shared challenges as we build back better from the coronavirus pandemic.
They agreed on the need to ensure coronavirus vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics reach those that need them, wherever they are in the world. The Prime Minister welcomed the contribution all G7 members have made to ACT-A and the COVAX vaccine facility. He also set out the UK’s commitment to share the majority of any future surplus vaccines with COVAX.
The Prime Minister emphasised the need to learn lessons from this pandemic and highlighted the importance of agreeing common protocols to prevent future pandemics. He noted the value of a global health treaty in this context.
G7 leaders welcomed the United States’ readmission to the Paris Climate Agreement and agreed on the need for a green, sustainable global recovery.
The Prime Minister said that the G7 should work together to pave the way to the Kunming Convention on Biological Diversity and COP26 Summit in Glasgow in November.
All leaders agreed on the important and unique role the G7 plays as the world’s leading democracies. The Prime Minister welcomed the united stance taken by the G7 in condemning the recent coup in Myanmar and the detention of Alexey Navalny in Russia. He stressed the responsibility the G7 has to demonstrate to the world the benefit of our shared democratic values in creating open and prosperous societies.
The Prime Minister looked forward to seeing his fellow leaders in person at the G7 Summit in Cornwall in June.
G7 Leaders’ Statement: 19 February 2021
We, the leaders of the Group of Seven, met today and resolved to work together to beat COVID-19 and build back better. Drawing on our strengths and values as democratic, open economies and societies, we will work together and with others to make 2021 a turning point for multilateralism and to shape a recovery that promotes the health and prosperity of our people and planet.
We will intensify cooperation on the health response to COVID-19. The dedication of essential workers everywhere represents the best of humanity, while the rapid discovery of vaccines shows the power of human ingenuity.
Working with, and together to strengthen, the World Health Organisation (WHO), and supporting its leading and coordinating role, we will: accelerate global vaccine development and deployment; work with industry to increase manufacturing capacity, including through voluntary licensing; improve information sharing, such as on sequencing new variants; and, promote transparent and responsible practices, and vaccine confidence.
We reaffirm our support for all pillars of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A), its COVAX facility, and affordable and equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, reflecting the role of extensive immunisation as a global public good.
Today, with increased financial commitments of over $4 billion USD to ACT-A and COVAX, collective G7 support totals $7.5 billion. We invite all partners, including the G20 and International Financial Institutions, to join us in increasing support to ACT-A, including to increase developing countries’ access to WHO-approved vaccines through the COVAX facility.
COVID-19 shows that the world needs stronger defences against future risks to global health security. We will work with the WHO, G20 and others, especially through the Global Health Summit in Rome, to bolster global health and health security architecture for pandemic preparedness, including through health financing and rapid response mechanisms, by strengthening the “One Health” approach and Universal Health Coverage, and exploring the potential value of a global health treaty.
We have provided unprecedented support for our economies over the past year totalling over $6 trillion across the G7. We will continue to support our economies to protect jobs and support a strong, sustainable, balanced and inclusive recovery.
We reaffirm our support to the most vulnerable countries, our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and our partnership with Africa, including to support a resilient recovery. We will work through the G20 and with the International Financial Institutions to strengthen support for countries’ responses by exploring all available tools, including through full and transparent implementation of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative and the Common Framework.
Recovery from COVID-19 must build back better for all. Looking to UNFCCC COP26 and CBD COP15, we will put our global ambitions on climate change and the reversal of biodiversity loss at the centre of our plans.
We will make progress on mitigation, adaptation and finance in accordance with the Paris Agreement and deliver a green transformation and clean energy transitions that cut emissions and create good jobs on a path to net zero no later than 2050. We are committed to levelling up our economies so that no geographic region or person, irrespective of gender or ethnicity, is left behind.
We will: champion open economies and societies; promote global economic resilience; harness the digital economy with data free flow with trust; cooperate on a modernised, freer and fairer rules-based multilateral trading system that reflects our values and delivers balanced growth with a reformed World Trade Organisation at its centre; and, strive to reach a consensus-based solution on international taxation by mid-2021 within the framework of the OECD.
With the aim of supporting a fair and mutually beneficial global economic system for all people, we will engage with others, especially G20 countries including large economies such as China.
As Leaders, we will consult with each other on collective approaches to address non-market oriented policies and practices, and we will cooperate with others to address important global issues that impact all countries.
We resolve to agree concrete action on these priorities at the G7 Summit in the United Kingdom in June, and we support the commitment of Japan to hold the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 in a safe and secure manner this summer as a symbol of global unity in overcoming COVID-19.
Council budget ‘stays true to core priorities for Edinburgh’
Budget agreed for 2021/22 despite ongoing pressures of Covid response (around £85 million to date)
Budget shaped by – and addresses – key priorities of poverty, sustainability and wellbeing
Council Tax to be frozen in 2021/22
One-year rent freeze for Council house tenants following a joint motion by Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat groups
Further revisions to the budget may be made depending on Scottish Government and UK Government budget decisions in March
Councillors in Edinburgh have agreed a new business plan and budget framework to drive the Capital’s recovery from the pandemic in the coming years while tackling key priorities of eradicating poverty, cutting carbon emissions and working for a fairer, more inclusive city where every resident feels valued and empowered.
Despite the ongoing financial pressures brought about by the impact of Covid19 on Council services and communities across the city, a balanced £1 billion-plus budget has also been set for the next financial year (2021/22), with Council Tax frozen at 2020/21 levels to help protect household budgets.
In addition, rents for Council house tenants have been frozen for a year (2021/22) following a joint motion by the Conservative, Green and Liberal Democrat groups.
Financial flexibilities already agreed with the Scottish Government have contributed to the balanced budget position for 2021/22, with an acknowledgement that more fundamental service reform, improvement and prioritisation will be required in future years.
At yesterday’s annual Budget Meeting, elected members also approved a three-year Business Plan setting out how the Council would respond to the need for change, titled Our Future Council, Our Future City.
The Business Plan brings together the Council’s core priorities and seeks to shape a sustainable, fair and thriving future for Edinburgh post-pandemic.
The Business Plan and the priorities it sets shapes the four-year budget framework (2022/23 – 2025/26) also approved yesterday, which sets out the need for broader reforms to reprioritise and potentially redesign services to achieve more than £100 million of savings over the coming years.
Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Rob Munn said:When we set a three-year balanced budget in February 2020, we had no inkling of the economic and social turmoil the pandemic was about to unleash across the globe.
“As a city and as individuals, this past year has tested us like no other time in recent memory – and the challenges are ongoing. It’s testament to the dedication, commitment and resilience of all our staff, our services and our city that we’ve been able to agree a new business plan and balanced budget for 2021/22 today.
“Helping Edinburgh and our citizens to recover and rebuild after the strains of Covid19 is critical and, as they’ve done throughout, staff in Council services continue to work tirelessly to look after the city and our communities.
“Guided by our business plan priorities of ending poverty, becoming a net zero city and making sure wellbeing and equalities are enhanced for all we’ve agreed a comprehensive package of additional investments as part of our £1 billion-plus 2021/22 budget, channelling extra funding to where it’s most needed and will have the most meaningful impact.
“We want to pay tribute to the outstanding efforts of our residents in helping Edinburgh weather the Covid storm. We have seen communities come together through the hardest of times and they have shown all of what is best about our city. Without the solidarity and resilience of the people of Edinburgh, the financial, social and life cost to our Capital would have been far higher.”
Vice Finance and Resources Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “Everyone’s lives have been up-ended by the Coronavirus pandemic. Jobs have been cut, businesses hit, children’s education disrupted, families separated and, tragically, many, many lives have been lost.
“It’s essential then that we do whatever we can to help our most vulnerable citizens and those who’ve been hardest hit financially, while at the same time making progress with our key ambitions towards a fairer, greener and better-connected Edinburgh.
“Make no mistake, tough times lie ahead and we’re going to have to think creatively and courageously in the years ahead to meet the substantial savings required.
“As we’ve learned during this crisis, however, difficult times can sometimes be a catalyst for lasting, positive change and we’re determined to drive forward our commitments on poverty, cutting carbon emissions and equal opportunities for everyone to access jobs, training and good places to live.
“Our three-year Business Plan responds to this need for change so that our strategies and approach achieve their ambition of making Edinburgh the best possible place to call home.”
The outcome of the Scottish Government’s Local Government Financial Settlement this year has contributed an extra £9 million* to the Council’s budget.
Investment proposals put forward by the SNP/Labour Coalition for the additional £9 million were agreed as follows:
£0.170m to freeze fees and charges of school meals, care at home services, garden aid and library reservation charges and fines;
£0.400m in 2021/22 to expand support and advice to help people at risk of homelessness and support those experiencing homelessness into secure tenancies;
£1.050m to manage crisis needs, increase funding for direct payments in light of COVID, support food security in the City, embed advice across schools and GP surgeries and expand programmes like Discover!, all to help put millions of pounds extra in the pockets of families who need it the most;
£0.500m to support our climate obligations and further decarbonisation of the Council’s estate;
£0.300m to support delivery measures for the sustainability plan which will be published in the summer;
£0.500 million to enhance our parks, playparks, food growing and urban forests, with £4m of related capital investment
£0.250m into setting up a short-term let licensing and enforcement system to move quickly in dealing with the problem;
£2.000m extra to accelerate the 1-to-1 digital strategy to help all our school pupils get the equipment they need for their studies;
£0.110m to strengthen and support our role as corporate parents by expanding the support team;
£0.175m to support expansion of Edinburgh Guarantee in light of the impact COVID has had on jobs;
£0.500m investment to take forward Smart City initiatives; and
£0.052m to extend the role of the Gaelic Development Officer for one year beyond the end of Scottish Government funding.
Further to this, £2.743m has been allocated to the Council’s unallocated reserves as a contingency against future risks.
While the city council expresses satisfaction at setting a balanced budget, there’s no getting away from the fact that Edinburgh is facing another year of swingeing cuts to service provision.
Earlier this week local government umbrella body COSLA spoke out once again about the consequnces of further cuts.
COSLA warned that communities across Scotland will face unavoidable and damaging consequences if Local Government does not receive a fair funding settlement in this year’s Budget
COSLA said that the trend of recent settlements for Local Government needs to change because on top of existing pressures, the COVID pandemic has placed unprecedented strain on the finances of Scotland’s Councils this year.
the costs of COVID-19 to Local Government and the need for these to be met,
flexibility on how the budget allocated to Councils is spent and
an increased budget allocation to address the reduction in funding to Councils over recent settlements.
Speaking as she launched the document on Tuesday, COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “This year, across every community in Scotland, Local Government’s essential role has been magnified and once again we have delivered for our communities.
“Nobody in Scotland has been unaffected by this pandemic and the financial impacts of COVID-19 are severe. Individuals, families and businesses have all felt the effects and continue to look to Councils for support every day.
“Sustaining this lifeline support is placing extreme pressure on already strained budgets and without fair funding for Local Government this year, the consequences for the most vulnerable in our communities would be unacceptable.
“That is why we need fair funding for 2021/22 that respects our communities. Without this, there will be further cuts to services, reductions in spending locally, increases in the inequalities exposed by the pandemic and a much slower recovery.”
Echoing these concerns, COSLA President, Councillor Alison Evison, said: “Local Government’s role on behalf of our communities cannot be underestimated anymore. The COVID pandemic has shown exactly how much the public rely on us as leaders and as providers of vital services.
“The reality is that in recent budgets, the Scottish Government has chosen not to provide enough funding for the essential services that communities rely on day in day out.
“On top of this, this year we have had to contend with COVID-19 which has seen the inequality in our society grow.
“Our ability to recover from this and continue to deliver for Scotland’s communities depends on a change of emphasis from Scottish Government that provides fair funding for Council services.
“If we are to truly recover from this pandemic then Local Authorities must receive a fair settlement.”
A radical revision of primary care is essential to ensure the next generation of citizens receive the care they need, according to the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee.
In a report published today, the Committee say the traditional 9-5, 5 days a week service must become a thing of the past, replaced with a new model shaped around users’ needs. They urge the health service to fully embrace technology, enabling better data sharing and monitoring, to deliver a 21st century system fit for patients.
The Committee’s report is the culmination of a two-year inquiry into the future of primary care. The innovative inquiry was centred around members of the public with their views shaping the inquiry. The first phase of the inquiry, published in July 2019, revealed the public’s desire and support for a transformation in how services are accessed and delivered.
The inquiry has highlighted the growing costs and demands on the health service due to an ageing population and their more complex health needs, as well as an obesity epidemic and stark health inequalities in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
The Committee’s report questions the Government’s commitment to recruit at least 800 more GPs by 2030. They say the emphasis should instead be placed on committing to appropriate recruitment of professional staff across multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs), including both GPs and other professions, which can deliver the intended benefits to primary care as a whole.
Speaking as the report was published, Committee Convener Lewis Macdonald MSP said:“It is clear that when it comes to primary care the status quo is no longer an option. Existing ways of delivering care are not only financially unsustainable but have failed to keep pace with modern life.
“We need to radically rethink primary care so that we can ensure our citizens receive the best possible care for generations to come.
“We must move away from the automatic provision of prescriptions and towards social prescribing. There must be widespread adoption of a preventative model of delivering care and the health service must fully embrace new technology.
“A fundamental shift is also required in how the public and health professionals view General Practice. Instead of GPs being seen as the provider of all services, a new approach should be adopted where other health professionals, who are often better placed and equipped to help and support people can do so.
“Our inquiry has been driven by hearing directly from the public about the primary care services they want, need and require and the Committee wants to thank all who took part in our public forums and shared their views.”
The Committee say a focus on prevention needs to be prioritised and mainstreamed, but for this to be a success it goes beyond just the health service.
They identify the importance of local communities in delivering good health outcomes and say there is a clear desire amongst the public for connected communities, with spaces that give people opportunities to become active and socialise, and to connect to the local natural environment.
Widespread adoption of video consulting service ‘Near Me’ during the Covid-19 pandemic has been commended although the Committee has expressed reservations that default use could deepen health inequalities.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave this statement at the coronavirus press conference last night:
Today the national vaccination programme continues to power past the target we set six weeks ago with more than 15 million people vaccinated across the UK.
And once again I pay tribute to the astonishing efforts of everyone involved – the GPs, the nurses, the volunteers, the army and the pharmacists like Hardik Desai – who rallied local volunteers to vaccinate 3,000 people in his village hall in Ticehurst in Sussex, while keeping his pharmacy open – and of course I thank all of you who have come forward to be vaccinated.
This is an unprecedented national achievement but it’s no moment to relax and in fact it’s the moment to accelerate because the threat from this virus remains very real.
Yes, it’s true, we have vaccinated more than 90 per cent of those aged over 70 but don’t forget that 60 per cent of hospital patients with Covid are under 70.
And although the vaccination programme is going well, we still don’t have enough data about the exact effectiveness of the vaccines in reducing the spread of infection.
We have some interesting straws in the wind. We have grounds for confidence. But the vaccinations have only been running for a matter of weeks – and while we are learning the whole time – we don’t today have all the hard facts that we need.
And the level of infection remains very high, with more people still in hospital today than at the peak last April and admissions running at 1,600 a day.
So we have to keep our foot to the floor. And I can tell you today that the next million letters are landing on people’s mats right now, offering appointments to the over-65s and we are also contacting all those aged between 16 and 64 with underlying health conditions, as well as adult carers.
And if we can keep this pace up – and if we can keep supply steady – and I hope and believe we can – then we hope to offer a vaccination to everyone in the first nine priority groups – including everyone over 50 – by the end of April.
And at the same time we will be giving second doses to millions of the most vulnerable within twelve weeks of the first.
So this moment is a huge step forward but it’s only a first step.
And while it shows what the country can do we must be both optimistic but also patient.
And next week I will be setting out a roadmap saying as much as we possibly can about the route to normality even though some things are very uncertain.
Because we want this lockdown to be the last. And we want progress to be cautious but also irreversible.
So please continue to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
