Dear All
One thing the SNP excel in is promising
action then failing to deliver it, for them getting the sound bite out as
intent to be doing something actually trumps action. The SNP Government under
Nicola Sturgeon is a sham, incompetent, unable to do their job and lazy. When
Scotland learned we are the drug death capital of Europe, the SNP promised
action, an emergency taskforce to address our drug deaths crisis. In this
regard, it is the only real claim to fame that Nicola Sturgeon has a ‘world
leader’.
But so far, the emergency taskforce to
address our drug deaths crisis has never met, not even once, which begs the
question, does the SNP understand the term ‘emergency’? Just like we have a
duff health minister in the shape of Jeane Freeman, we also have a public
health minister Joe FitzPatrick. FitzPatrick is part of the SNP Dundee
operation which was seen as the SNP powerhouse under the Hosie Dynasty.
Public health minister Joe FitzPatrick promised
that an expert group would quickly be assembled to address the issues but
unlike the Avengers, this expert group couldn’t assemble.
Did they need instructions from Ikea?
So far, than the chair, Professor Catriona
Matheson of Stirling University, there is a distinct lack of members been
announced, which begs the question, other than Matheson is there anyone else in
the emergency taskforce? At the time of her appointment Fitzpatrick said:
“I am very pleased that Professor Catriona
Matheson has agreed to head up this taskforce. She has a great deal of
experience in this area, both through her role as Trustee of the Society for
the Study of Addiction and as Convenor of the Drugs Research Network Scotland.
“What Scotland faces in terms of drugs
deaths is an emergency. Every one of those deaths is a tragedy and tackling
this issue is a public health priority. I want to ensure that the work of the
taskforce is driven by a strong evidence base and it is my desire to ensure
that the voices of those with lived experience of using drugs, and their
families, are heard. I will give consideration to any proposals that may help
to tackle this issue.”
It seems that action doesn’t match Fitzpatrick’s
words.
Professor Catriona Matheson said when
joining:
“I am honoured to accept this
responsibility to deliver real change through a strengthened public health
approach. I am keen to examine the evidence, and work across the landscape,
involving those with lived experience of drug use and their families. We need to be bold in our thinking and our
actions to reverse the trend, recognising that behind the statistics is
personal tragedy.”
So, everyone has congratulated themselves
but where’s the action, where’s the team and more importantly where is the recommendations?
Could it be that there is none?
Think about it, the worst drugs death
crisis ever in Scotland and no action.
Scottish Labour’s shadow health spokeswoman
Monica lennon said:
“Joe FitzPatrick announced the ministerial
drug death taskforce in the Daily Record in March – we’re now in August and its
membership still hasn’t been finalised and it still hasn’t met. This isn’t good
enough. We’re more than half-way through 2019 and our national response to the
drugs death crisis is inadequate. Scottish Labour is continuing to press the
Scottish Government to take urgent action and I have lodged a parliamentary
motion calling on the government to legally designate a public health
emergency.”
So far no public health emergency has been
announced, and when you think about the people who are dying, it isn’t like
they matter to the SNP, mostly junkies don’t vote.
FitzPatrick has announced that a drugs
summit will be held in Glasgow to address the crisis which is handy because it
provides Nicola Sturgeon with a photo op if the SNP can cobble together someone’s
plan of action with their stamp on it. And with Nicola Sturgeon doing a drive
to be popular and caring at present, perhaps she could pop in like Santa Klaus.
A SNP Government spokesman said:
“The taskforce remains on track. Since the
announcement of Professor Matheson as chair, terms of reference have been
published and the public health minister has written to potential members
inviting them to confirm their interest. Details of the full membership and
next steps will be announced shortly and the taskforce is expected to hold its
first meeting in September.”
What we need is an expert group on £300 a
day?
Finally, Monica Lennon apparently offered
to join the expert group but her offer was refused by Public health minister
Joe FitzPatrick, clearly Ms Lennon hasn’t grasp the SNP’s addiction to ‘it’s my
ball’. It seems that party politics
takes priority over a public health emergency. Fitzpatrick studied Forestry at
Inverness College and worked for the Forestry Commission in Angus and Tillhill
Forestry in Argyle which doesn’t really equip him for anything in the role of public
health minister. But I am sure he can
say, ‘it’s Westminster’s fault’.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow
University
5 comments:
No one should be surprised about this. Grabbing the headlines by announcing that a task force was to be set up was always going to be the sole activity of the SNP.
Perhaps they are figuring out how to pay for it. The SG has just spent £500,000 to pay for Alex Salmond's legal bills caused by a notched investigation. A minister must be held to account.
Very good site you have here but I was wanting to know if you knew of any user discussion forums that cover
the same topics talked about in this article?
I'd really like to be a part of group where I can get suggestions from other knowledgeable individuals
that share the same interest. If you have any recommendations, please let me know.
Bless you!
Very energetic blog, I liked that bit. Will there be a part 2?
Life expectancy going in reverse and we already had one of the lowest life expectancies in the western world. Highest drug deaths in the western world. The lowest live birth rate ever, since records began.
Have we been invaded by some evil foreign power because these statistics are disgusting.
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