Protecting patients' rights

Scotland has a health system to be proud of. And in the year of its 60th anniversary we can all appreciate the strengths of the NHS and take pride in its founding principle – that healthcare is free at the point of delivery.

While realising the value of our health system and vowing to reinforce this fundamental principle, the SNP has also maintained that there are ways in which we can improve it to make it fully fit for purpose for the twentieth century. And one of our core beliefs is that at the heart of healthcare should be the patient.

Patients should not be the passive recipients of a service; they are the primary stakeholders in the healthcare sector and therefore the first consideration when we think about developing the system. We in the SNP believe that those who use the service must be the focus of any modern, fair and democratic health system. This is why the Scottish Government has taken a vital step towards a patient-centred health system with patients' rights enshrined at its core.

Under the proposals launched by the Government last week Scottish patients will have a maximum waiting time guarantee for surgery. This means that after being referred to hospital patients should not have to wait more than 12 weeks for an operation.

We are all aware of the stress and anxiety that comes with awaiting an operation – either for oneself or a family member. Mental wellbeing is fundamental to a good recovery and at times like this a feeling of security is vital. This move will help to minimise uncertainty for people and their families at a time when they are vulnerable. Safe in the knowledge of the timescale they are facing patients will be in a better position to make a strong recovery.

These proposals are just one part of the Patients Rights Bill we are taking forward. The Bill is designed to make the health system fairer and fully equipped to meet the needs of everyone in Scotland. Under the plans Independent Patient Rights Officers will be appointed to every health board to ensure that patients' rights are being respected across the country. With clearer rights will of course come clearer responsibilities such as attending appointments. We want a health system in Scotland that treats its patients with respect and dignity. We want to see the people of Scotland together with healthcare staff become partners in our health system.

I know that many people in Banff & Buchan will be reassured by these proposals and take comfort that the Scottish Government is striving to make our health service better and fairer with people at its centre. With other practical measures to ease the burden on ordinary people like phasing out prescription charges, the SNP is working hard on all fronts to deliver a healthier, fairer nation.

Empowering fishing communities

Fishing communities are being granted a stronger role in managing inshore fisheries in Scotland thanks to a new initiative by the SNP Government. As part of a pilot Inshore Fisheries Groups made up of fishermen's representatives will be formed in several areas across the country with more planned over the next 18 months to cover the whole coast. The groups will be responsible for producing fisheries management plans for their areas and empowered to drive policy forward. This puts the stakeholders in the driving seat of the process. Before forming government the SNP said that rather than imposing policy from above we would listen to the views of fishing communities, fishermen and all of those involved in the sector and respond to that. And now that we are in government we are making good on that commitment.