Other UK News In Brief

Politicians Must Have An 'Honest Debate' About Health, Say Doctors



The British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland has called on all the political parties to have an ‘honest debate’ about the health service as they campaign for the Scottish Parliament elections in May. The call came ahead of a BMA Scotland Health Hustings in Edinburgh.

 Dr Brian Keighley, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said: 

“An honest debate is needed in this election campaign. Our politicians need to recognise the reality of the choices facing NHS Boards and cannot afford to make unrealistic commitments to secure votes.

 There is room for improvement on how the Scottish Government manages the health service, in particular the role of clinicians in planning and developing services for the benefit of patient care. This should not be a process stymied by bureaucracy but a partnership between managers and doctors to improve the efficiency of our services whilst protecting the quality of care. It is this message of leadership that we will be campaigning on throughout this election period.” 

Dr Keighley also warned that the spending cuts facing the NHS mean that politicians would have to decide what the NHS can and cannot afford to deliver.

 Doctors are pleased that across the political spectrum, parties are as committed as we are to an NHS that is properly resourced, comprehensive, free at the point of delivery and provides equal access for all. These are the principles upon which the NHS was based and upon which it must continue. 

Dr Keighley added: “However the range and level of services available now are more comprehensive and complex and patient expectations higher. To protect the principle of universal free healthcare, politicians must lead an open and honest debate with the public about what the NHS can and cannot deliver.”


Appeal Following M25 Fatal Collision

Traffic police are appealing for witnesses and information following a fatal collision on the M25 last week. Police were called at approximately 9.30pm on Thursday 17 March to the M25 between junction 24 and 25 to reports a car transporter had fallen on its side across the carriageway. A number of cars which were loaded on the transporter had also come away from the carriage. Officers, ambulance service, fire brigade and units from Hertfordshire Police attended the scene and parts of the motorway were closed off to traffic. The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Next of kin have been informed. The driver has been formally identified as David Sciberras, 42, from Malta. A post mortem examination gave the cause of death as multiple injuries and an inquest opened and adjourned at Barnet Coroner's Court on Monday 21 March. Officers from the Road Death Investigation Unit at Chadwell Heath are conducting enquiries into the circumstances of the collision. The lorry was a fully loaded, Maltese registered transporter and overturned just prior to the off slip to junction 25 on the M25. Police are appealing for witnesses who saw the incident or observed anything unusual about the vehicle as it travelled around the M25 to get in touch.

Huhne Invests Energy In Scottish Renewables

Chris Huhne vowed to leave no stone unturned in support of Scottish renewable energy projects.

The Energy and Climate Change Secretary said: “If we are to meet our climate change targets, Scotland will be mission critical. Success here will define our low carbon legacy. I know that every day that projects are delayed is an extra day we rely on dirty energy, an extra cost for the industry - and an extra cost for consumers. My job as Energy Secretary is not to give you warm words. My job is to go through step-by-step, breaking through the barriers - so that you can get on with the job of delivering renewable energy in the simplest, quickest and cheapest way.” Speaking at the Scottish Renewables conference in Glasgow, he announced a new agreement between DECC and the Ministry of Defence, Department for Transport, Civil Aviation Authority, National Air Traffic Service, Scottish Government and the renewables industry to urgently seek solutions to unlock opposition from aviation - radar problems in particular - to onshore wind. He also asked his officials to examine what scope there may be for him to use his powers under section 185 of the Energy Act 2004 to adjust transmission charges for renewables in a particular area, such as the Scottish islands, once Ofgem has finished its Project TransmiT review of transmission charging arrangements.

(BMcN/GK)