Scotland's GP Crisis Deepens
General Practice in Scotland is facing a significant crisis according to new academic research.
This week, a joint report from Glasgow and Dundee Universities - funded by the Scottish Government - has revealed a postcode lottery for General Practice, with local surgeries in the most deprived communities being underfunded compared to the most affluent.
Mark said:
"The crisis within General Practice is growing - investment has fallen by over £1 billion since 2005/06, 1 in 5 GP training places lie vacant, over 100 days' worth of out-of-hours sessions were not filled during the summer months and around 2 million patients in Scotland are registered in understaffed and under-resourced practices. All of this on the SNP's watch.
"The NHS is our most valued public service and we must fight to protect it.
"The SNP has controlled the NHS for 8 years. They must take decisive steps to make our health service fit for the 21st Century."
Read more about the research study, here.
Griffin Calls on UK Government to Save Central Scotland Tax Offices
Mark Griffin MSP has called on the UK Government to block proposals to close HMRC offices in Central Scotland.
The tax collection agency has made the announcement that more than 2,000 jobs could be lost in Scotland, including at major centres in Cumbernauld and East Kilbride
Closing the offices in Cumbernauld and East Kilbride would have a devastating impact on jobs and local economies.
Mr Griffin has launched a petition, which calls on the UK Government to block the proposed closures and protect local jobs.
Mark said:
“This devastating news will seriously impact workers, their families and local economies, where the Tax Office is a major employer.
“Tax Office staff are highly skilled and HMRC must work with trade unions to protect as many jobs as possible. The UK and Scottish Governments must also support affected employees going forward.
“I have launched a petition calling on the UK Government to block the proposed closures and protect local jobs. I ask people from across Central Scotland to sign up."
Mark’s petition can be found here:
Mark Stands With Shop Workers
Mark Griffin MSP supports Usdaw's campaign to protect shop workers from violence, threats and abuse, especially with Christmas just around the corner.
Mr Griffin has joined with members of the retail union Usdaw to campaign for respect for shop workers as part of the Freedom From Fear Campaign, which seeks to prevent violence, threats and abuse directed at retail staff. Usdaw members are highlighting the problems faced by staff during Respect for Shop workers Week, which runs from 9 to 13 November.
Mark said:
"Retail employees are confronted with violence, threats and abuse on a daily basis. Such acts are wholly unacceptable and it is vital that people across our communities stand together and show respect to shop workers, especially as we approach the busy Christmas shopping period and the Black Friday sales.
"I strongly support Usdaw's call for the Scottish Government to introduce a new law protecting shop workers and other public-facing workers from assault. They failed to support a Scottish Labour proposal on this matter in the past, and shop workers have paid the price.
"I will continue to campaign with Usdaw to provide shop workers the support they need and deserve. We must give a clear message that abusing or assaulting workers who are serving the public is totally unacceptable."
John Hannett,Usdaw General Secretary, added:
"We are grateful to Mark Griffin for supporting our campaign to keep our members safe at work.
"Often, in the course of their duties, shop workers are expected to enforce the law, whether that is preventing under-age purchases of products like knives, tobacco or alcohol, or detaining shoplifters until the police arrive, they deserve respect and protection.
"Over 300 shop workers are assaulted every day and it is time to say enough is enough. Politicians must work together to address this issue and act quickly."
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Hearing Loss Report Highlights Startling Figures
Mark Griffin MSP helped Action on Hearing Loss Scotland launch its new report, which has revealed that the estimated number of people in Scotland with hearing loss has increased by 11 per cent over the last four years.
According to the charity’s report, Hearing Matters, urgent action is needed on deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss across Scotland. There are now 945,000 people in Scotland who are deaf or hard of hearing, due to the country’s ageing population.
The report details the charity’s key concerns and calls for Scotland’s health services (including audiology), employability support as well as access to transport and other public services to be improved to meet the individual needs of people who are deaf or have hearing loss.
Mark, who recently steered the British Sign Language Act through Parliament, said:
“Action on Hearing Loss Scotland's new report shows us the scale of the challenge we face, and how important it is that the Scottish Government takes action to provide support for those with a hearing loss.
"It is important that community-based, person-centred support is in place, to ensure that individual needs are met. A principal aim of the BSL (Scotland) Act is to enable BSL users to enjoy the same opportunities as hearing people in accessing information and fulfilling their potential. This must be the case for non-BSL users who have a hearing loss too. There is rightly a real concern about Scotland's elderly population, many of whom have lost their hearing in later years. This often leave them isolated, confused and afraid and must be tackled."
Delia Henry, Director of Action on Hearing Loss Scotland, said:
“We’re delighted that Mark Griffin MSP supported the launch of our Hearing Matters Scotland report, which is calling on decision-makers in Central Scotland and throughout Scotland to ensure all barriers are removed so that people who are deaf or have hearing loss or tinnitus can live the life they choose, and access their rights as full and equal citizens.”
Working Families Betrayed by Tax Credits Vote
Mark Griffin MSP has slammed the Scottish Government for failing working families across Scotland.
The Scottish Government failed to back a Labour motion aimed at protecting people from losing Tax Credits, using new powers that are coming to the Scottish Parliament.
Mark said:
"I am disgusted that the Scottish Government and SNP MSPs failed to support our motion, which was aimed at protecting those families set to lose Tax Credits under plans by the UK Government.
"The Scottish Government have spent days telling us we wouldn't have the power to top-up tax credits, yet the Cabinet Secretary, Alex Neil, now accepts that's just not true.
"The Scottish Government seem intent on complaining about what they can't do, instead of acting when they can. Scottish Labour MSPs set out a plan for using the new powers coming to Holyrood to restore the money lost through tax credits. The fact that the SNP didn't vote for this plan is a huge betrayal of working families in Scotland.
"Today was a defining day for the Scottish Parliament. It was a chance for all parties to say what they would do with the new powers that are coming. It is disgraceful that the SNP and the Tories failed that test today."
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