Holyrood answers the doggone tough questions - John McLellan

The Scottish Parliament’s Presiding Officer, Edinburgh MSP Alison Johnstone, has a difficult job each week selecting questions the members want to put to the First Minster, and last week’s pick included some important items like attacks on ambulance crews, the legal minimum age of marriage and support for adopted children.

Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone

Health matters dominated, like delay to building a new health centre in Ellon, and staffing for radiology services, but even if variety is the spice of life, it was odd that a question from Lothian MSP Sue Webber about the temporary closure of the Royal Edinburgh Hospital was not called.

Had it been selected, Parliament would have learned 129 acute patients were in a unit designed for 105, that patients were lying on the floor, and that the expansion of the Morningside campus due to start in 2018 was still awaiting approval.

The situation became so critical that patients had to be transferred to St John’s in Livingston and plans were made to move patients to the Borders if beds became available.

Even though the hospital has now re-opened for admissions, there is a high chance of a recurrence, not least because it appears capacity was only created by the hospital being tougher with care services about accepting discharges.

Still, at least Green MSP Mark Ruskell got to ask Humza Yousaf about banning greyhound racing, for which there is only one track remaining in Scotland. Amidst the cost-of-living crisis, inflation, falling education standards and the healthcare crisis, it’s good to know someone is looking out for the dugs.