Working together to build a healthy, caring Scotland

Susan Deacon "We believe that every individual has a right to high quality health and community care. Access to, and quality of, service must be determined by need and not by ability to pay or by where you live. We are increasing NHS spending in real terms and will continue to do so for the lifetime of this Executive. This will allow us to invest in modern, high quality health services which give people the treatment they need, where they want it. This should be at home if possible, in hospital if necessary.

"We believe that our modern NHS must care as well as it cures. We will improve the patient's journey from GP surgery to outpatient clinic, from hospital to home. We will strengthen the patient's voice and will work to ensure that patients, and their carers and families, get the response and support they need through every stage of their care.

"We will tackle the root causes of ill health and will seek radical, innovative ways to improve the health of the people of Scotland. We will promote better health for all by helping people to adopt healthier lifestyles and through effective prevention and screening measures. Getting this right will enable our people to enjoy a better quality of life, to live longer and to stay active and independent."

Susan Deacon MSP
Minister for Health and Community Care

Our priorities

To provide a modern, high quality, responsive NHS in Scotland
in 2000 >	We will use modern technologies to provide a better service to patients. Scottish NHS Net has already linked all GPs surgeries and hospitals and will now be extended to pharmacies. We will publish a full report on Scotland's leading edge work on clinical outcomes and quality.
by 2002 >	Through the introduction of an instant appointments system by 2002, we will ensure that people know the time of their hospital appointment before leaving their local surgery.
by 2003 >	We will deliver the biggest ever hospital building programme in Scotland and will provide 8 major new modern hospital developments by 2003.
To improve the health of the people of Scotland
by 2002 >	We will create a network of Healthy Living Centres by 2002, which will focus in particular on improving health in areas of poverty and deprivation.
by 2010 >	We will build a Health Promotion Fund to support measures to improve health and to help meet our targets of halving deaths from coronary heart disease and cutting deaths from cancer by 20% by 2010.
To develop new approaches to speed treatment and shorten waiting times
in 2000 >	We will be targeting improvements in waiting times, to clinical priorities including cancer, heart disease, and mental health.
by 2002 >	By 2002 we will launch a new generation of walk-in/walk-out hospitals. In these hospitals patients will be assessed and treated by specialist staff offering same day treatment.
by 2002 >	We will establish an additional 80 One Stop Clinics where patients get diagnosis and treatment all in the same day by the year 2002.
To deliver person-centred health and community care
in 2000 >	We will launch Scottish NHS Direct to provide a 24-hour telephone health and care advice line.
in 2000 >	We will work in partnership with patients and NHS staff to establish our Patients' Project in 2000. The project will develop a strategy for communicating effectively with patients.
launched >	A Carers' Strategy for Scotland to help unpaid carers was launched on24 November 1999.
in 2000 >	In 2000 we will publish our proposals for services for people with a learning disability.
To work in partnership with the people who deliver health and social care
in 2000 >	We have published an Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Strategy for the NHS in Scotland. And we will this year support the first nurse consultants to take up posts in the NHS in Scotland.
by 2001 >	By 2001, we will establish a Scottish Social Services Council to recognise and increase the skills and professionalism of the social care workforce.
To improve food standards and safety
in 2000 >	Where necessary, we will use our statutory powers to ensure that high food standards are met. A Butchers' Licensing Scheme for Scotland came into force on 8 May 2000.
in 2000 >	We have established the new Executive in Scotland of the Food Standards Agency in Aberdeen which will assist people to make informed choices about what they eat and to take steps to ensure their food is safe.