Published: Monday, 26th May, 2008 16:30
Speak up for the poor
By Duncan McNeil
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THE scandal that is the wide — and widening — gap between the health of Scotland’s richest and poorest people is one which I have repeatedly recounted in this column.
Living in one of Scotland’s most deprived communities increases your risk of heart disease as much as being diabetic or 10 years older.
These inequalities are perpetuated by the one-size-fits-all approach to providing health services.
People in deprived areas might suffer from poorer health, but they struggle with poorer access to GPs, preventative and other primary health care services.
No-one would disagree that we need to end this unfairness. But whenever an actual solution is put forward, the chorus of protests and complaints is deafening.
The latest plan, set to be piloted in parts of Glasgow, is to consider a patient’s background when deciding whether or not they should be prescribed treatment, like statins, to guard against heart disease and strokes.
As deprivation is a key risk factor, most people would be surprised that it’s not already taken into account. But some are trying to paint this as robbing the rich to give to the poor (and what, you might ask, is wrong with that?).
This move is about targeting resources where need is greatest and the Scottish Government must have the courage to roll it out across the country.
It might upset those who shout the loudest, but politics should be about speaking up for those whose voices too often go unheard.
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