ScotRef Westminster Mismanagement

Leading surgeon says Yes vote will save Scotland’s NHS from Westminster privatisation

Dr Philippa Whitford at Vision for ScotlandDr Philippa Whitford, one of Scotland most respected surgeons, delivered an insightful and hard hitting guest speech at the 2014 Vision for Scotland conference.

Her key messages are:

  • That Scotland’s NHS needs independence to protect it from Westminster cuts and privatisation.
  • The end destination of England’s privatisation journey is an American style private insurance funded health sector.
  • The Scottish NHS has been saved by devolution but our budget is set by Westminster, and as they cut spending in England, Scotland gets less money to maintain the standards we in Scotland vote for.
  • Ill health follows deprivation and we are living with the food bank generation. We need to forge our own path and live with our own values.

This is a must watch for anyone who cares about Scotland’s NHS and wants to know how independence will impact positively on our health care and well-being as a nation.

If you are watching via an iPhone or iPad then you can click this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJfYq-5gaw0 

 

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About the author

Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp

Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp is the Founder and Chief Executive of Business for Scotland. Before becoming CEO of Business for Scotland Gordon ran a business strategy and social media, sales & marketing consultancy.

With a degree in business, marketing and economics, Gordon has worked as an economic development planning professional, and in marketing roles specialising in pricing modelling and promotional evaluation for global companies (including P&G).

Gordon benefits (not suffers) from dyslexia, and is a proponent of the emerging New Economics School. Gordon contributes articles to Business for Scotland, The National and Believe in Scotland.

9 Comments

  • Dr. Whitford is the most inspirational speaker in the whole YES campaign. Absolute pleasure to listen to her straight talking, no nonsense, factual speech. I defy anyone who has listened to this to even think about voting no.
    Brilliant stuff, thanks to BfS for bringing this and the whole Vision conference to us.

  • It is interesting to hear the argument for the NHS in Scotland come from a surgeon working in the NHS in Scotland and not the politicians. It makes me angry to hear the likes of Danny Alexander and Alistair Darling and cohorts ( all Scots ) deny that the NHS in England is moving more and more towards privatisation. This to bolster their arguments that Scotland remain in the union. They should be ashamed of themselves.

    I personally want a much fairer country to live in and to keep our NHS free to the people that need it most. I hope that many others will hear and read this speech just to know the history of what has been happening in the NHS and what is happening currently, particularly in England. Thank you so much for highlighting the facts.

    • Well said Helen. It also astonishes me when reading the article on page 21 in the Herald on Sunday (24/08/14). There’s an interview with Prof Malcolm MacLeod where his use of some rather pejorative words about the Yes campaign and in particular about the warnings on the future of the NHS were tho vote to go with a no. His accusations essentially say that what Philippa (and others) are saying are an “astonishing fib”, “have very little to justify it”, “are a mistruth”, and are also “merely delusional and immature”! Perhaps he might be accused of precisely the same things by denying that there is some considerable truth in Philippa’s warning, not sure he’s thought of that, despite his professionand qualifications. He provides no supporting facts for his assertions – how typical!

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