Socialist Health Association Scotland

The SHA was founded in 1930 to campaign for a National Health Service.
SHA Scotland is a campaigning organisation which promotes health and well-being and the eradication of inequalities through the application of socialist principles to society and government.
We believe that these objectives can best be achieved through collective rather than individual action. We campaign for an integrated healthcare system which reduces inequalities in health and is accountable to the communities it serves.

News
Our discussion paper on NHS Scotland reform, and supporting blog post.

SHA Scotland motion to the 2023 Scottish Labour Party Conference - Tackling the NHS Crisis.

The latest edition of our Healthier Scotland bulletin.

NHS Reform: It’s Social Care Stupid!

Our blog calling for action on health inequalities.

SHA Scotland submission to the Drug Deaths Prevention Bill.

Our paper, Local Action on Health Inequalities can be downloaded here.

Our blog post on the Audit Scotland review of NHS Scotland.

SHA motion on local action on health inequalities to the Scottish Labour 2022 conference.

National Care Service consultation. Our submission.

The state of the nation's health post-election. SHA commentary in the new edition of Scottish Left Review.

European study of social care, including a Scotland case study written by Dave Watson.

Our proposal for a new Health and Care Workers Covenant, modelled on the armed forces version while recognising important differences. Dave Watson explains the research behind the proposal in this blog post.

The Future of Social Care in the Devolved Nations. A joint SHA Scotland/Wales event on 1 February 2021. Video of the presentations, plus Dave Watson's presentation.

Our blog on changes in mortality rates and how power structures can inform action.

Our new paper on the reform of social care in Scotland can be viewed here. Dave Watson set out the key issues at Labour Connected in September.

How public health measures can help build stronger communities is covered in a new Reid Foundation paper by SHA Secretary Dave Watson.

Our secretary has contributed to a further Reid Foundation paper on reconstructing Scotland after the pandemic. He covers the establishment of a Scottish Care Service.

Our Blog covers - Reconstructing Scotland after the Crisis. A Reid Foundation paper with a contribution on health and social care from SHA Scotland.

Two new ScotGov reports highlight the problems facing social care in Scotland.

Our submission to the Scottish Labour First Stage policy consultation.

Our 2019 Scottish Labour Party conference motion on health inequalities.

Our Secretary's blog on two reports that show that the increase in life expectancy in Scotland has now stalled and that health inequalities have worsened.

You can read our publication 'Reducing Health Inequalities Locally' here.

SHA Scotland Journal and E-Bulletins

Obituary - Dr Sandy MacDonald
We are sad to report that a long-standing SHA Scotland member has recently passed away aged 92. Sandy was a Neuroradiologist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary until his retirement. He developed the ARI unit to equal those in Glasgow and Edinburgh and trained many young radiologists who now work all over the world.
He resigned on principle when the hospital trust was established. A Labour party member for most of his adult life he was a champion for the values of the NHS and an opponent of privatisation. Our thoughts are with his wife Joan and the family.