Shona Robison MSP has reiterated her government’s commitment to protecting the rights of EU national in Scotland to the party faithful in Aberdeen
SCOTLAND’S HEALTH SECRETARY has today (Saturday 18 March) reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to protecting the rights of EU nationals in Scotland.
In her speech to the conference, Robison condemned the UK Government for failing to safeguard the rights of those who have made Scotland their home, by reiterating the Scottish Government’s commitment to EU nationals currently working in the NHS.
She also stated that the Scottish Government had taken decisive action in supporting people who have come to come to Scotland, such as the Refugee Doctor Project, that enabled those individuals who have fled conflict to use their medical experience here in Scotland.
Robison said: “Thanks to the Tories’ folly at Westminster we now find ourselves at a crossroads.
“I choose independence – I choose the road where we can protect our European staff, deliver our vision for the future, and ensure the future of an NHS that is publicly-owned, publicly-run and free at the point of need.” Shona Robison
“One road leads to a hard Brexit, where the future of our EU staff are threatened and with it the very fabric of our NHS, and there is a clear path towards yet greater Tory cuts to Scotland.
“The other road offers us a choice – the ability to choose a different future for our country.
“Conference, I choose independence – I choose the road where we can protect our European staff, deliver our vision for the future, and ensure the future of an NHS that is publicly-owned, publicly-run and free at the point of need.
“It’s a choice that is our right to make and that we must be allowed to make when the shape of Brexit is known.”
“It’s a choice that is our right to make and that we must be allowed to make when the shape of Brexit is known.” Shona Robison
Meanwhile, Shona Robison has outlined the Scottish Government’s progressive agenda for the NHS in Scotland at the SNP conference in Aberdeen.
Robison told the SNP faithful in Aberdeen that the NHS in Scotland has benefitted from the action taken by the SNP, with investment in dental care, health and social care and support for nursing bursaries.
The health secretary said: “We want our NHS to help catch cancer as early as possible, that’s why we’ve invested almost £40 million to raise public awareness of cancer, and catch it earlier, driving earlier diagnosis.
“We want our NHS to be as accessible as possible, which is why we scrapped parking charges at all NHS-run hospital car parks has saved patients and staff around £27m.
“We want the right infrastructure to be in place, that’s why over £5bn has been invested in Scotland’s health infrastructure since 2007, including the Emergency Care Centre here in Aberdeen.” Shona Robison“
And we want the right infrastructure to be in place, that’s why over £5bn has been invested in Scotland’s health infrastructure since 2007, including the Emergency Care Centre here in Aberdeen.
“And there’s more to come with investment of £150m for the Baird Family Hospital and Anchor Centre here in Aberdeen, due to commence next year.
“We’ve made real progress in the last decade in improving our NHS and social care, thanks to our health and care staff doing fantastic work up and down our country.”
Picture courtesy of the Scottish Government
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