The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 1019 contributions
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 20 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
Thank you, convener. I declare an interest as a practising national health service general practitioner.
I was very interested in Michael Collier’s comments about pay. Peter McDonnell went on to talk about how staff left to work in Tesco. As a GP, I know of reception staff who have left to join the agenda for change programme in the NHS, which leaves a gap in primary care. My question is twofold. How does the pay for social care roles compare with the pay for NHS agenda for change pay for people on similar bands? Do you think that there should be equivalence with regard to pay and conditions and to pensions?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
I want to pick up on what Paul Sweeney and Carol Mochan have asked about. On the £11.5 million cost, is that £11.5 million what central Government is putting into a budget that will allow local authorities to make their own choices? Is that an extra £11.5 million that central Government is putting in, or will local government have to find that £11.5 million?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
I am sorry—can I ask you for the evidence that it has reduced hospital admissions, please?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
Was it statistically significant?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
My big concern is that MUP should not be generating profit—that should not be what it does. It should be helping people. It would be very helpful to know where the money is so that we can use it to help the people who need it, especially those who are most dependent on alcohol.
From a retailer’s point of view, what else could we be doing to help people who are drinking to harmful levels and dependency? We have spoken about community alcohol partnerships, but what else could we do? In the earlier evidence session, Tracey McFall said that we need a suite of tools, but there do not seem to be any others. We also heard Justina Murray say, “What about everything else?”, when it comes to measures to help. Does the industry have some ideas about what else we could be doing?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
I am talking about anything.
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
I turn to the witnesses who are online. I want to look at the eight studies on health outcomes that have been produced by Public Health Scotland. One study showed some changes, but it was clear that dependent drinkers did very badly. Women drinkers also did rather badly. What are your thoughts about that, and how can we help those groups?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
Do you think that we should have the supermarkets appear before us so that we can ask them similar questions?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
The evidence shows that dependent drinkers are spending more on their alcohol consumption.
I will come back to Alison Douglas. What has been done to help dependent drinkers, who are spending more money, to come away from alcohol? How have measures such as alcohol brief interventions worked for dependent drinkers who have sought treatment?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 6 February 2024
Dr. Sandesh Gulhane
Good morning. Thank you for coming in.
Alison Douglas, I will start with you. How accurate has the Sheffield model been in each of its iterations prior to its update?