Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.

Humza Yousaf shuts down suggestion some NHS patients should pay in Fife hospital visit

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf was at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy when he shut down claims richer people would need to pay for their NHS treatment. Picture by PA/Jane Barlow
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf was at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy when he shut down claims richer people would need to pay for their NHS treatment. Picture by PA/Jane Barlow

SNP Health Secretary Humza Yousaf told The Courier he had no idea NHS chiefs ever suggested charging some patients after shock reports about the future of the universal health service.

He said he’d been completely in the dark during a visit to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy on the day it emerged health board executives had discussed the idea.

The claims, reported by the BBC, put more pressure on the SNP Government to address serious financial strain.

The chair of doctors’ union the BMA in Scotland also warned the suggestion is a signal that the country could “sleep-walk” into a two-tier system against the NHS founding principles.

Mr Yousaf and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon quickly said the idea is “not up for debate”.

NHS ‘never been under’ as much strain

Asked if the warning shows the NHS is not working, Mr Yousaf said: “I must make it abundantly clear, while I expect NHS leaders to consider reform, that reform must be within the parameters of the founding principles of the NHS.

“I won’t contemplate any reform that means patients are charged for their treatment or their use of the NHS.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf with Clinical Service Manager Jane Anderson in the CT suite during a visit to the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS) at the NHS Fife Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy. Picture by PA/Jane Barlow.

“But you’re absolutely right, the NHS has never been under this kind of strain ever in its existence.”

When the NHS was created in 1948, Labour Health Secretary Aneurin Bevan said it would be a universal health service, available freely.

Mr Yousaf said the modern pressure is caused by people unable to get treated during the coronavirus pandemic and the UK Government’s “mismanagement of the economy”.

‘This has not been mentioned’

He said he has “very regular” meetings with the NHS chief executive and chief operating officer, and said there has “not been a syllable about charging people”.

The health secretary added: “If there was even a thought about that I would immediately respond by shutting it down.

“This has not been mentioned by senior NHS leaders.

“I don’t know who raised this and it was not brought to my attention.”

How will the SNP reduce the strain?

When asked what changes he needs to make to avoid a situation where some will have to pay to access the NHS, Mr Yousaf said treating people closer to home, getting people home from hospital more quickly, and “robotics” are the answer.

He said: “Having people coming into hospital rather than getting their treatment close to home is more expensive.

“And if you are staying in hospital when it is clinically safe to be discharged, then you are not in the best place for you.”

It is beyond doubt that in order to avoid sleepwalking into the two-tier system that threatens this fundamental principle of free healthcare, we need a proper, open conversation about the NHS.

– Dr Iain Kennedy, BMA Scotland

He added: “We can also look at robotic assisted technology.

“That has an upfront cost but it will make savings in the longer-term.”

He said robotics would involve getting devices which can monitor people’s blood pressure, heart rate and diabetes levels remotely in their own home.

He added the Scottish Government will also invest in social care so people are less likely to need hospital care in the first place.

Doctor’s warning

Reacting to the suggestion of a two-tier system, BMA chief Dr Iain Kennedy said the NHS can’t simply do everything the Scottish Government asks.

“We have been extremely clear that our health service should remain free at the point of need and true to its founding principles,” he said.

“However, it is beyond doubt that in order to avoid sleepwalking into the two-tier system that threatens this fundamental principle of free healthcare, we need a proper, open conversation about the NHS.”

Conversation