Public Health Challenges Are Not The Only Health Challenges For Scotland In 2009, Warns Scotland's Top Doctor

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 Jan 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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The leader of Scotland's doctors set out a list of challenges for the NHS in 2009 in his New Year message to the profession.

Dr Peter Terry, Aberdeen consultant and Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said:

"Since devolution, Scotland has faced up to the reality of its appalling record on public health and recent figures show that we are beginning to make progress on tackling health inequalities in Scotland, albeit slow.

"New legislation proposed for 2009 will continue this progress by further restricting the promotion and display of tobacco. If our politicians take this bold step, then it will add to the already robust legislation we have to address the health consequences of smoking. It would be especially effective in preventing the tobacco industry from peddling its deadly products to children. Equally, the controversial government strategy to tackle alcohol misuse could end the irresponsible promotion techniques used by supermarkets and other retailers to sell alcohol at ridiculously cheap prices.

"Tackling our poor public health record however is not the only challenge for government in 2009. Funding for health is falling and NHS managers have to make tough choices on what the NHS can afford to provide in an increasingly tight budget. This, matched with an increased demand for services, is going to make it a tough year for the NHS.

"For doctors there are new challenges to face. The Scottish government has made a commitment to NHS General Practice and GPs want to work with Ministers to ensure that future policies can be delivered in the primary care setting. Ensuring that general practice is fit for the future will require evidence based policies that seek to address the fundamental problems that exist in what is the lynch pin of the NHS.

"In 2009, hospitals will no longer be able to rely on junior doctors to deliver the bulk of patient care. The implementation of the European Working Time Directive in August will reduce further junior doctors working hours to 48 hours per week. This service gap must be filled and new training rotas for junior doctors must not compromise on their education and training. It is disappointing that we have known about this change for more than a decade, yet it looks like NHS boards are nowhere near prepared to deal with it.

"In 2009 it will be a personal goal of mine, as I come to the end of my chairmanship of the BMA in Scotland, to protect the profession from the insidious creep towards the creation of a 'sub consultant' grade. Our consultants are among the best trained in the world. They are innovators and leaders in the development of new treatments and services. To introduce a new grade of doctor because it is more cost effective than consultant led services runs contrary to our proud history as clinical leaders.

"There is a lost tribe of doctors, many outside of the NHS may have not heard of them, but specialist doctors (staff grade and associate specialists) are the unsung heroes of our NHS. These doctors are fully trained and experienced in their chosen fields and, with their new contract being implemented in 2009, I hope that they can finally be valued and that doctors entering the profession and moving to a specialist doctor role is no longer considered a dead end job.

"Our government should be proud of the work done by each and everyone working in the NHS in Scotland, as I am. We must work together in a spirit of partnership to ensure that, as we face the tough times ahead, we do all we can to ensure that patients continue to receive the care they need."

BMA Scotland Public Affairs Office
14 Queen Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1LL
http://www.bma.org.uk/scotland