Scottish election 2021: SNP sets out plans for 'remobilisation' of NHS
- Published
Nicola Sturgeon was campaigning in Glasgow's Queen's Park on Wednesday
Half of all spending on frontline NHS care will go to GPs and community services if the SNP is re-elected next month, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
The party's leader outlined plans for a "full-scale post-pandemic remobilisation of the NHS".
She said her party would set up an expanded network of 10 centres doing diagnostic work and elective surgery.
This would include a renewed Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, as well as new treatment centres in Ayrshire and Cumbernauld.
While work to establish the new centres is taking place, Ms Sturgeon said "mobile operating theatre units" would be deployed at a number of NHS sites.
To help reduce waiting times, the first minister pledged to increase in-patient, day case and out-patient activity to 10% above pre-coronavirus levels levels within a year, and maintain that level for the rest of the five-year parliamentary term.
SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS
What elections are happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the Scottish government. Find out more here.
What powers does the Scottish Parliament have? MSPs pass laws on most aspects of day-to-day life in Scotland, such as health, education and transport. They also have control over some taxes and welfare benefits. Defence, foreign policy and immigration are decided by the UK Parliament.
How do I vote? Anyone who lives in Scotland and is registered to vote is eligible, so long as they are aged 16 or over on the day of the election. You can register to vote online, external.
Ms Sturgeon said the party's plan was "already well developed" and "in the early stages of deployment".
"I believe that working with our NHS staff, local communities, patient groups and trade unions, we can help people get the treatment they need and get Scotland's NHS not just back to where it was, but ready to serve Scotland long into the future," she added.
Other parties have also made commitments to improve the health service ahead of the Holyrood election on 6 May.
Scottish Labour's proposals include a catch-up plan for cancer screenings by increasing staff and processing capacity to clear the backlog of appointments, as well as installing mental health workers in every GP practice in Scotland.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats have placed a focus on boosting mental health services and cutting waiting times, while the Scottish Greens have committed to allocating 10% of frontline health spending on mental health by 2026.
POLICIES: Who should I vote for?
PODLITICAL: Updates from the campaign
The Scottish Conservatives pledged an additional £2bn of additional support for the NHS on Wednesday as one of their five key election pledges.
Party leader Douglas Ross said the other four promises were 3,000 additional teachers for Scotland; £500 "retrain to rebuild" grants for everyone in Scotland; rolling out full-fibre broadband by 2027; and ensuring "more police on our streets to make communities safer".
"Our rebuilding roadmap presents a detailed blueprint to get Scotland on a faster road to recovery ahead of the SNP's schedule, prioritising mental and physical health, and launching a raft of proposals to protect jobs and spur economic growth," he said.
"We would seek to tackle the economic crisis head-on with emergency legislation for an Enterprise Bill and targeted interventions to reduce unemployment."
Anas Sarwar outlined his plans to tackle child poverty during a visit to Glasgow's Bellshill Academy
Elsewhere on the campaign trail, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar outlined his party's plans to tackle holiday hunger, which he said had seen an "exponential rise".
"One in four children in Scotland live in poverty. It was an issue pre-pandemic and it has been exacerbated by the pandemic," he said.
"I want us to introduce a summer meals club which means no child is going hungry."
The Scottish Greens said they wanted to enshrine the right to anonymity for victims of sexual offences in law, and provide legal aid to the victims of domestic violence.
Currently, publishers enter into a voluntary agreement not to name the victims of sexual offences, but there is not legal backing for such an arrangement.
"We don't believe the current set-up, where publishers adhere to a voluntary code, is suitable for the digital age," said co-leader Patrick Harvie.
"Recent improvements in the law around domestic abuse are a big step forward for Scotland, but there is still more to do to protect women who have faced harassment or abuse."
Willie Rennie (right) was joined by UK Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey for a bike ride along Edinburgh's Union Canal
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie used a campaign stop in Edinburgh to voice his party's opposition to the prospect of so-called vaccine passports.
Ms Sturgeon said on Tuesday it was important "not to close our minds" to the idea, amid concerns from civil rights campaign groups.
But Mr Rennie has urged the Scottish government to suspend any plans until MSPs can reconvene and scrutinise them after the election.
"It would be unfair for millions of young people who have sacrificed so much in the last year to lose out, and a major step for the government to insist on medical treatment before people can access everyday services," he said.
Do you have a question about the Scottish Parliament election? Use the form below to send us your questions and we could be in touch.
In some cases your question will be published, displaying your name, and location as you provide it, unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published. Please ensure you have read the terms and conditions.
If you are reading this page on the BBC News app, you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question on this topic.