HEALTH experts are calling for political parties to commit to ending all forms of health inequality, ahead of next year’s Holyrood election.
The Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Facilities (the Scottish Academy) represents the views of different medical professions throughout Scotland.
It is warning that the lasting health impact of Covid-19 on Scotland’s poorest households – as well as on other vulnerable groups including the elderly and those living with disabilities – could be devastating unless action is taken by policy-makers.
Research by the National Records of Scotland revealed that people from the most deprived parts of the country are more than twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as those from more affluent communities.
And the highest proportion of confirmed Covid-19 cases (24%) was accounted for by those living in the 20% most deprived areas, according to analysis commissioned for the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Academy has proposed five key measures in their election manifesto which could help reduce health inequality in Scotland:
- Ensuring everyone has income at a level that supports healthy living, through policies such as progressive taxation and guaranteed minimum income.
- Ensuring everyone in Scotland has access to a high-quality education and that any barriers to higher educational attainment is removed for all groups.
- Improving access to active transport across Scotland.
- Taking bold action to address the societal damage of drug and alcohol misuse.
- A mandatory health impact assessment integrated into policy making in all Scottish Government departments.
The Scottish Academy also believes access to the NHS in Scotland can be improved by investing in digital resources, particularly for the most isolated in society, such as the elderly and those who live in the country’s remote and rural areas.
Its manifesto also calls for an increase in the number of medical student places as well as action to reduce drug and alcohol related harms.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here