Chamber and committees

Edward Mountain MSP submission of 2 November 2021

PE1890/C: Find solutions to recruitment and training challenges for rural healthcare in Scotland

I am very sorry that I am unable to be present at the Petition Committee today. Since my election to the Scottish Parliament in 2016, I have been in constant contact with Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT) regarding concerns about health care provision in Caithness and Sutherland. It is clear to me that there has been a shift towards centralising services in Inverness to the detriment of those communities in the Far North.

Over the course of the last few years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of constituents seeking assistance from the Far North area who are suffering mental health difficulties. Their struggles are not being addressed because the mental health services are either overwhelmed, inaccessible or non-existent.

The Committee should be aware that a Cross Party of Highland parliamentarians (Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Scottish Green) sent a joint-letter to the Scottish Government, the contents of which were agreed by NHS Highland, on the key obstacles to recruitment of rural health practitioners in specific relation to mental health provision.

I can completely understand how the petitioner feels that the Caithness community is being disadvantaged by the centralisation of health services in Raigmore Hospital. I would like to note on the record that I support the principles of petition PE1890 in the name of Maria Aitken on behalf of CHAT and would respectfully ask that the Committee consider taking evidence on this petition, which is supported across the region.