MSP CONDEMNS SCAREMONGERING ON CROSS-BORDER HEALTHCARE AGREEMENTS
Written by author on March 11, 2014
Local MSP Joan McAlpine has condemned the Conservatives for keeping reassurances on cross-border healthcare hidden.
Last week a freedom of information request revealed a letter from the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service confirming that cross-border healthcare agreements will remain in force after Scotland becomes independent.
The letter was sent to Tory MSP Nanette Milne in August 2013 but was not made public by the Conservatives at any point.
It states that:
“NHSBT would expect this reciprocal agreement to continue if Scotland does agree to independence as the arrangement offers additional security to all four blood services.”
It also confirms that “NHSBT has representation on the Scottish Transplant Group and, in addition to this, senior members of NHSBT have regular discussions with Scottish Government officials. From these discussions I can confirm that NHSBT and Scottish Government do not believe that there would be any significant change to the relationship or the management of organ donation and transplantation in the event of independence.”
The NHS Blood and Transplant service and its counterparts in other parts of the UK already work closely with the Irish Health Service Executive – showing cross-border cooperation already operates well in practice.
Commenting Ms McAlpine said:
“The NHS Blood and Transplant service makes it perfectly clear that they expect the reciprocal arrangement with NHS Scotland that currently exists to continue after Scotland becomes independent.
“Particularly In the south of Scotland, it is to be expected that constituents will have questions regarding cross border arrangements with our English neighbours.
“However – far from making the NHSBT’s entirely sensible reassurances public back in August – the Tories have instead chosen to continue scaremongering on this issue in recent months, preying on people in the south of Scotland in an attempt to win votes for the No campaign by spreading fear and doubt.
“My constituents deserve a higher level of debate, not to mention as much information as possible, so it is disappointing to say the least that the anti-independence parties did not want this reassurance made public.
“I hope that they will now welcome the certainty that the NHSBT has given to NHS patients on both sides of the border.”
