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 392 contributions
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 28 May 2024
Carol Mochan
That is helpful—thank you. Scottish Labour would be prepared to speak to you about it, as we go into stage 3.
We will not support amendment 23. We believe that flexibility is required, because we are not always sure of the opening and closing times of healthcare services and when people might be coming out of them. As the amendment would be restrictive, we do not want it to be included.
We believe that not mentioning behaviours is the best way to approach the bill as set out. Therefore, we will not support amendment 24.
On Rachael Hamilton’s amendment 56 and Meghan Gallacher’s amendment 57, I appreciate the members’ contributions with regard to filming, because we are sympathetic to that issue. However, although we absolutely understand the motives for the amendments, we have some concerns that they fall into the area of placing behaviours in the bill. We hope that they will consider working together on this as we move towards stage 3, but, although we are keeping the issue under consideration, we will not be supporting these amendments at this stage.
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 28 May 2024
Carol Mochan
Scottish Labour’s position is that amendment 42 is a reasonable amendment, but we are not sure that it is particularly necessary to include it in that part of the bill, as the bill’s intention is evident throughout.
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 21 May 2024
Carol Mochan
I thank the cabinet secretary for the information on this important issue. I am aware that one of the key issues in relation to AHPs is the link with universities and the provision of a flexible model. Have you had any discussion with universities or other portfolio holders that might help with that?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
Thank you. That is one of the issues that we need to get right for both clinicians and young people.
I wonder if you could you give us a little information. One thing that has interested us is people presenting at the clinics who are same-sex attracted and how we make sure that there is that space for those young people. You mentioned a case earlier in which a person reflected on what had happened to them in that regard. If I put that issue in the context of a conversion therapy bill, do you think that we need to take that apart and look at having a bill that deals with conversion therapy in relation to same-sex attraction and trans identity? Should we consider doing that?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
That is really helpful. Thank you very much.
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
You have covered a lot of what I was going to ask about. I am interested in the notion that, if we want to meet more targets, particularly on childhood obesity, we need to move away from talking about things to taking action. I believe that Governments must take responsibility for their part of the picture: it is not all about individual choice, because we know that communities are not set up that way, especially in areas that have high levels of health inequality. If you were going to give us homework, on what three areas could the committee achievably push the Government to take action?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
Why were no trans people included in the review team?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
There is talk about labelling or not labelling foods, particularly on menus when people eat out. I am interested in that, as well. Where are you on that?
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
That is really helpful. Thank you.
Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
Meeting date: 7 May 2024
Carol Mochan
Dr Cass, I want to explore the approaches to gender care for young people and the move to what you have described as the gender-affirmative model, which is the dominant model of care. You have talked about clinicians feeling pressure to simply affirm children and that that could lead to diagnostic overshadowing; for example, you have spoken about mental health issues that have been missed. How would a conversion therapy ban affect that situation? Could you advise how we might go forward with a ban to ensure that we give children protected time to consider things?