Scotland’s Health Service

That the Parliament notes reported comments from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing at the Unison conference in Glasgow on 24 April 2013 that an ageing population means that “we are still going to need the same number of beds, the same number of hospitals, the same number of doctors and nurses just to stand still”; voices concern at reports that the future of three hospitals in NHS Lothian is under threat; further notes that the Scottish Government has already cut over 1,400 beds and almost 2,000 nursing and midwifery staff, and calls on the cabinet secretary to guarantee that his comments mean no further cuts in beds, hospitals, doctors and nurses.