Tories to demand Gray’s resignation over performance
The Scottish Conservatives will once again urge MSPs to back their calls for Health Secretary, Neil Gray, to resign in a Parliamentary vote on Wednesday.
The party have this time put forward an amendment to a Labour-led motion to ensure that MSPs will get a chance to tell the First Minister that the Health Secretary should step down after overseeing a “permanent crisis” in the health service since taking on the role nearly a year ago.
Shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane says Neil Gray is failing both suffering patients and overwhelmed staff every single day through a “complete lack of leadership” and by having no real vision for the future of healthcare in Scotland.
He says that John Swinney has already sidelined him in recent weeks and that Scots deserve an SNP health secretary who is not distracted by a “personal scandal”.
Dr Gulhane added that during Neil Gray’s time in charge, waiting lists have hit record highs, people still can’t get GP or dentist appointments and far too many patients are stuck in hospital despite being fit and healthy enough to leave.
Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP said: “Neil Gray’s time in charge of Scotland’s NHS has been disastrous.
“Things were bad enough for suffering patients and overwhelmed staff under his predecessors, but the latest SNP health secretary is overseeing a permanent crisis in the health service. His complete lack of leadership means patients’ lives are being put at risk and waiting lists are continuing to soar.
“People still cannot get GP or dentist appointments easily and many patients are stuck in hospital unnecessarily, despite the SNP’s pledge a decade ago to end delayed discharge.
“Not only is Neil Gray similar to Michael Matheson in that he is distracted by a personal scandal, he also has no vision for the future of our NHS.
“I urge MSPs from other parties to join the Scottish Conservatives and tell Neil Gray to resign.”
Last week the call for Mr Gray’s resignation centred on his use of official chauffeured cars to go to football matches.
On Tuesday Mr Gray apologised for misleading parliament and asked to correct the record. He had previously stated that he had held meetings at football matches but no paper work was discovered after an FOI request. Mr Gray had also admitted taking a family member with him to football matches using the official transport but said it did not incur any additional cost.
