Alex Neil MSP wrting to the Herald Scotland to refute Gordon Brown MP scare story over cross border transplants and blood transfusions. YOU report claims that co-operation on medical issues like organ transplants and blood transfusions between Scotland and England could be put at risk by independence (Brown highlights the Scots getting crucial medical help from England, The Herald, July 21). This is not the case. The organisation which co-ordinates transplants in UK, NHS Blood and Transplant, has already stated that following independence for Scotland they will continue to work across these islands. Indeed, the chief executive does not believe there would be any significant change to the management of organ donation and transplantation. Scotlands NHS is already independent and has formal agreements in place to allow patients to be treated in other parts of the UK, and also allow patients from other parts of the UK to be treated in Scotland, based on clinical need. That will continue in an independent Scotland. Around 7,600 patients from outwith Scotland are treated here each year, and following independence we will continue to care for these people as our friends and neighbours. Everyone in Scotland has the right to access healthcare in other European countries. No-one is seriously suggesting that doctors and nurses in England will be instructed to turn Scots away if they needed treatment. By far the bigger danger is that, without constitutional change, we remain subject to Westminster cuts and their potentially debilitating effect on our public services - not least our treasured NHS. Alex Neil, Cabinet Secretary for Health, The Scottish Government, Holyrood, Edinburgh.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 11:07:39 +0000