Sir, – Moving elderly people, untested, into care homes caused deaths.
What hurts me the most is that the Scottish Government classes more than 3,400 deaths a simple mistake.
No-one speaks about the victims or the intense pain and sorrow caused. Behind each is a family in mourning, having lost a loved one in the most traumatic of circumstances.
If all of those more than 3,400 victims were to be pictured one-by-on, would the Scottish Government finally realise that they are speaking about real people, real human beings?
It is not the Scottish Government that is ‘paying the price’ here, but the Scottish people who have lost their loved ones, due to mistakes.
Maaike Cook.
Cash Feus, Strathmiglo.
Ross has no credible defence for Brexit
Sir, – Douglas Ross defended Brexit by saying “there’s no way we could have had the vaccination programme here in Scotland if we were still part of the EU”.
This is untrue. The UK was still subject to EU rules when it made the decisions about vaccines; the government chose to make use of opt-outs available to EU members, rather than adopting the EU vaccination programme.
Ross’s assertion was in response to a question about the damage that Brexit has caused Scotland.
Obviously he can think of no better justification for Brexit than to say that after leaving the EU we can do something EU members can do anyway.
It hardly justifies the massive damage being inflicted on Scotland.
Douglas Ross supported Remain, but he changed horses to inflict the hardest possible Brexit. He cannot now offer a credible defence for Brexit.
Was he paying attention to what the UK government was doing, or is he hoping voters haven’t noticed?
James Christie.
Dryburgh Crescent, Perth.
Indy would make Covid battle harder
Sir, – Has the impact of independence on the quality of care for us all been considered?
Today there is an excellent working relationship between healthcare professionals throughout the UK, which has saved countless lives.
This is particularly evident in this Covid-19 period – sharing of information and best practice, the provision of vaccines to name a few.
What will happen if Scotland goes independent?
Many of us have friends and relatives that are still alive thanks to the working together of healthcare professionals throughout the UK– please don’t let anyone tear this world-class co-operation apart.
Graham Whitbourn.
Balmedie, Aberdeenshire.
National strategy for end of life care
Sir, – Now that all Scottish political party manifestos have been announced, it’s pleasing to see so many parties recognising the vital role palliative care plays in society, with pledges to deliver further support to the sector and provide better support for all those experiencing dying, death and bereavement.
All of us will experience this at some point in our lives, which is why people deserve the best possible care and support for them, their family and friends. Unfortunately, at the moment, many miss out on the care they need.
With more people projected to be dying every year needing a palliative approach and with increasing levels of complexity, we must plan to make sure we close the care gap before it starts to grow.
Following the launch of Marie Curie’s 2021 Scottish Parliament manifesto earlier this year, we highlighted the need for a new palliative care clinical lead, a national strategy for end of life care and to ensure all carers get the financial support they need.
We have confidence the next Scottish Government will work towards a Scotland where dying, death and bereavement is talked about openly, where people can plan and discuss their care and preferences, and everyone affected has the best possible end of life experience which reflects what is most important to them.
Richard Meade.
Head of Policy, Scotland, Marie Curie.
