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Priorities for Health - BMA Scotland’s manifesto for the Scottish Parliament Elections 2007

November 2006

I am pleased to present to you British Medical Association (BMA) Scotland’s election manifesto. This document identifies our key priorities for health in Scotland. It considers issues affecting public health, NHS reform and the medical workforce. It is our hope that, by identifying what the BMA and doctors believe are the priorities for health, political parties and individual candidates will enter the 2007 elections armed with information on what is best for health in Scotland.

In each of the four countries of the UK the NHS is undergoing reform. It is important that reform of the NHS in Scotland is done in partnership with the public and health professionals to ensure that policy objectives benefit services for the good of patient care.

BMA Scotland welcomes recent efforts to encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Equipping the public with the information and power to make decisions about their own lifestyles and, where appropriate, legislating to protect the public health, can have a positive impact on health.

Health and healthcare is a top political priority and it is important that the political parties and individual parliamentary candidates understand and are aware of, current and future issues that will impact on the NHS. In order to identify what is important to doctors, BMA Scotland commissioned a survey of members in August 2006. Around 600 doctors from all branches of the profession responded to our survey and this document reflects their priorities for health.

Dr Peter Terry
Chairman, BMA Scotland

Briefing papers to support the BMA's policies outlined in Priorities for Health:

• Alcohol misuse
• Consultants
• Exercise
• GPs
• Help more Scots kick the habit
• Junior doctors
• Medical academics
• Medical students
• Parliamentary briefing
• Patient choice and public involvement
• Promoting a healthy diet
• Protecting and safeguarding patient confidentiality
• Staff and associate specialists
• Sexual health
• Waiting times

Keep up to date with general Scottish Election news
Scotlandvotes.com has been designed by Weber Shandwick Public Affairs as a tool to provide information about the Scottish Parliament elections in May 2007. As a first for the Scottish Parliament elections it features an online election predictor where you can find out how the polls translate into parliamentary seats.
The website also includes up-to-date information about candidates, marginal seats, constituency profiles and party policies.