Lothian MSPs write to Health Secretary over reasons for NHS chair's resignation

Jeane Freeman said she would not get into a "tit-for-tat" debate with Mr Houston over his resignation letter

A CROSS-PARTY group of opposition MSPs from Lothian have sent a joint letter to Health Secretary Jeane Freeman protesting at a lack of transparency over the disagreements which led the chair of the region’s health board to quit.

Brian Houston resigned two weeks ago after seven years in the role, blaming “fundamental and irreconcilable differences” with Ms Freeman.

But quizzed in the Scottish Parliament chamber, Ms Freeman said she would not “get into a public tit for tat debate with Mr Houston about what he put in his resignation letter” and refused to discuss “confidential” conversations she had with health board chairs.

Now Lothian MSPs, led by Labour’s Neil Findlay but also including Conservative health spokesman and Lothian MSP Miles Briggs and Lib Dem health spokesman and Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton, have signed a letter to the Health Secretary, calling on her to “disclose the circumstances that led to Mr Houston’s resignation” and why NHS Lothian was put into special measures.

The letter says the matters raised with Ms Freeman in parliament were “entirely reasonable questions - questions our constituents have asked us to pursue and questions to which they are entitled to get answers”.

Those who signed the letter were four Labour MSPs, three Tories, two Greens and one Lib Dem.

Mr Findlay also raised Ms Freeman’s refusal to answer the points with Nicola Sturgeon at First Ministers Questions last week. “Patients and staff of NHS Lothian have the right to know why the chair of the board has resigned and why the health board that spends their taxes and treats their children has been put into special measures,” he said.

Ms Sturgeon replied that Mr Houston’s resignation was because he disagreed with the assessment of his performance as chair made by the chief executive of NHS Scotland.

And she said Ms Freeman had spoken on many occasions in the chamber about NHS Lothian being placed in special measures.

But Ms Sturgeon added: “I give an assurance that, if there is particular information that the chamber wants, that information will be made available.”