Doctors leaders in Scotland are calling for urgent reform and brave decisions to put the NHS on a sustainable footing ahead of next month’s Scottish Parliament election.
BMA Scotland council chair Iain Kennedy said 2026 could be a ‘watershed moment’ for health services, but that without action, the founding principle of the NHS – that it should be free at the point of use – was at risk.
Publishing its manifesto today, BMA Scotland called for radical improvements to NHS delivery, public health and NHS culture and the wellbeing of staff. It also says doctors should be valued at every stage in their career.
Launching the manifesto, Dr Kennedy said: ‘The NHS will once again be at the heart of this election, with lengthy waiting times and waiting lists, difficulties in accessing GPs and a growing number of people being forced to turn to private healthcare frequently in the headlines.
‘BMA Scotland has consistently warned that without action, the founding principle of the NHS, that it should be free at the point of use, is at risk.
‘We are clear that the NHS must not just been seen as a way to win the votes of the public in the short-term. Too often, solutions offered to the problems the health service faces do no more than tinker at the edges or seek to grab attention rather than deliver real results.
'What is needed is for politicians to put political difference aside and urgently agree and deliver serious long-term and radical reform that finally makes our NHS sustainable and indeed world leading for generations to come. That process and approach might not grab headlines, but it will deliver real and lasting change. With political will and brave decisions from everyone involved, 2026 can be a watershed moment for the NHS.’
Better workplace
Specifically on healthcare delivery, the manifesto calls for a clear, detailed plan on shifting the balance of care to better support care closer to home, while continuing to support secondary care, a refreshed focus on measuring NHS performance, and an evidence-based long-term workforce plan.
On public health, it calls for action on health inequalities and says public health assessments should be a mandatory consideration for all areas of policy-making and any new legislation in the Scottish Parliament.
On wellbeing and culture, it says that Scotland’s NHS must be a better place to work, where wellbeing is prioritised. It also calls for an urgent assessment and improvements in whistleblowing procedures.
On valuing doctors, it says that doctors need to be supported and valued at every stage of their career.
Dr Kennedy spoke to The Doctor magazine at his practice in Inverness before the manifesto launch – and shared his own recent experience of being on an NHS waiting list, before being admitted to hospital for emergency surgery. Read about it here.
The Doctor has been traveling around Scotland and Wales talking to doctors about their hopes and feelings about health services and the profession, and further articles will be published before the elections on 7 May.