NHS crisis is so bad that doctors are suffering significant morale injuries. SNP government must lead national conversation to find a way forward – Dr Iain Kennedy

While many people will be getting a much-needed rest this Christmas, hardworking healthcare workers in NHS Scotland will be looking after people around the clock.

An NHS worker cares for a patient with Covid in intensive care (Picture: Neil Hall/pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Many will be struggling with workload, just as they have throughout this year. We owe them our thoughts and our thanks but, more than that, we have a heavy responsibility to take the challenges they and our NHS faces with the utmost seriousness.

That’s why we need, as a whole society, to face up to the hard truths that have been put off for far too long, and have a proper, grown-up, de-politicised national conversation about the future of our NHS in Scotland.

Sticking our heads in the sand, or exchanging tired political soundbites, just won’t cut it anymore. We put forward this idea in our BMA manifesto for the last Holyrood election, and support does seem to be growing. It’s clear we need to reflect on what we ask of our NHS and the levels of funding we, as a country, are prepared to provide to meet those asks. More funds need to be gathered and spent wisely. Despite additional investment, the current approach of pushing insufficient resources harder and harder, then blaming staff when expected standards are not reached has failed and is failing patients every single day. I know doctors are suffering significant morale injury as a result.

Some may say: how can we do this when the NHS in Scotland is in crisis? But I would say, if not now, then when? If not us, then who? Just how bad does it have to get? If we keep putting this national conversation off, we run the risk of simply lurching from this crisis to the next. Any suggestions of marginal improvement may be used as justification for kicking the whole thing into the long grass yet again. A slight easing of pressure and political leaders may take the chance to go back to relying on NHS workers who are on their knees, and are likely then to simply give up and leave the NHS.

Instead, let’s harness the anger and frustration staff and patients feel to commit to working together to build a better future. Let’s stop putting healthcare workers in the impossible and insidious position of having to constantly apologise and be the bearers of bad news. Politicians on all sides must step up and start the process. It’s in their hands, and specifically the hands of the Scottish Government. With all the political attention on our NHS at the moment, I have no doubt they are listening. I also believe they do want to do the right thing. We need them to be brave and act now, by bringing us together and finally actually properly talking about a plan for a future NHS that is a joy to work in, and to be cared for by.

It’s really difficult to find any optimism about the position our NHS in Scotland is in at the moment, particularly for healthcare workers in the service. But I believe if the Scottish Government commits to and indeed leads this national conversation, those out there doing all they can to provide the care we all rely on will at least finally feel they are being properly listened to.

Dr Iain Kennedy chairs BMA Scotland