Thursday, March 18, 2010

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie refuses to support Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, not interested in people's health unless it can be used to attack SNP
















Dear All

While the Labour Party abandoned the people of Scotland on health matters, the SNP Government will be legally guaranteeing hospital treatment within 12 weeks for patients under new legislation.

The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill will also introduce the legal right to complain about treatment that patients receive.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the bill is aimed at improving patients' experience of using health services.

Health was recently abandoned by the Labour Party as a General Election theme as the dramatic improvements by the SNP on the Labour record of failure.

Health and education are to be airbrushed out of the Labour manifesto for Westminster.

If a hospital fails to comply with the time limit, it will be regarded by law to ensure treatment is given at the "next available opportunity".

Hospitals will also be required to be more transparent and provide an explanation to the patient for any delays.

Rather than fobbing off patients health board will be directing patients to the new Patient Advice and Support Service where patient rights officers will provide the correct advice on how to lodge a complaint.

So, this begs the question, why are Labour Party so against helping people stand up for their rights?

Why are they against fairness?

Why does Jackie Baillie feel protecting the ‘old boys network’ is more important?

SNP Health Minister Nicola Sturgeon said;

"Putting patients' rights into law will send out a strong signal to patients, healthcare workers and NHS Scotland that patients should be at the heart of everything the health service does."

Clearly Jackie Baillie and the Labour Party doesn’t consider that a priority.

It seems that Jackie Baillie is only willing to take up a health issue if it can lead to an attack on Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP Government.

I wonder how patients and families feel about being used by her for party political purposes, she really is quite despicable.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University

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