Socialist Health Association

          Scotland

 

Health Policy in Scotland: Where Next?

SHA colleagues in England are starting a debate about health policy south of the border in the context of Labour's policy review for the 2015 elections. The latest edition of Socialism in Health is devoted to this issue.

Some of the ideas debated in this paper are clearly not appropriate to Scotland's very different NHS delivery model. Their, if limited, acceptance of the 'any willing provider' model is not an approach that has any traction in Scotland.  However, broader health challenges are if anything even greater in Scotland.

Some of the principles they are debating are relevant including:

  • The futility of structural reorganisation
  • The importance of integrating health and social care
  • Active involvement by patients in their own care
  • Stress on prevention and the wider determinants of health
  • Shift resources out of hospitals and towards integrated services
  • Aligning the incentives for clinicians and organisations with the interest of patients

SHA Scotland has agreed principles that we agreed to review at our last meeting. The key points include:

  • A broad public health approach to health policy. Medical treatment and other therapeutic approaches will not, on their own, radically improve  health in Scotland. There are unacceptable health inequalities in Scotland that must be addressed if we are to tackle the nation’s major health problems.

  •  Treatment is provided according to need and is free at the time of delivery. Charging has no role to play in the funding of NHS Scotland.

  •  The extension of democratic accountability at all levels.

  •  The patient and other users of health care should be the focus of the service. Not as ‘customers’ but as partners.

  •  Health and social care should be provided by directly employed staff committed to a public service ethos.

  •  Collaboration between health and social care is essential to deliver an effective and seamless service.

  •  High quality health care requires the recruitment and retention of high quality staff. Including genuine partnership working with health trade unions at all levels.

In light of our submissions to Scottish Labour and Scottish Government consultations in recent years we believe these principles need to be reviewed. We will be encouraging members to participate in a debate on these issues as we begin to develop new approaches to tackle Scotland's major health challenges in the years ahead.

We will be circulating a new bulletin and discussion papers over the coming year and would welcome all views.

 

 

[ Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to d.watson@unison.co.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: 01/20/12