Cole-Hamilton responds to Humza Yousaf’s appearance on GMS

Responding to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf’s appearance on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme earlier, where he claimed there was “much success” in the health service and that preventing strike action by NHS staff is “where one of his strengths lie,” Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:  

“If Humza Yousaf is having to cite averting strikes as one of the achievements of his time in office, that really is scraping the barrel. Why were we ever at the point where NHS staff even considered strike action?  

“Under his watch, record waiting times are getting worse and worse, every corner of the health service is at boiling point and after today’s damning Auditor General report, we now learn that staff needed to ease the pressure aren’t going to arrive.  

“People will want to know what Humza Yousaf would do differently, therefore, as First Minister.  

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would deliver new hope for health through a burnout prevention strategy, reversing cuts to the mental health budget and the immediate introduction of new fair work measures across social care.”