Holyrood vote calling for Health Secretary to resign fails

A Scottish Conservative-proposed vote calling on the Health Secretary to resign has failed at Holyrood.

The party tabled an amendment to a motion proposed by Scottish Labour on the NHS workforce, in order to heap more pressure on Neil Gray.

The Health Secretary has been battling with winter pressures, poor performance in the NHS in recent months and criticism over taking Government-owned cars to football games, but has retained the confidence of the First Minister.

The amendment fell by 51 votes to 68 with one abstention, while the original motion was defeated by 61 votes to 53 with seven abstentions.

Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane said: “It is time for change – the SNP has had 18 years and they have failed.

“Patients are suffering, staff are burned out and our NHS is on life support.

“Neil Gray is not the answer, he is not the leader that Scotland’s health service deserves.

“Today, we urge Neil Gray to do the right thing and resign as Health Secretary.”

The Tory MSP also said social care minister Maree Todd should be “held accountable” for the scrapping of the National Care Service.

Scottish Labour’s Dame Jackie Baillie said the SNP Government is ‘incapable’ PA Media

“I will not be holding my breath that this SNP Government will do the right thing,” Dr Gulhane added.

“The people of Scotland deserve better, better leadership, better care and a better future for our NHS.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the Health Secretary had been “distracted” by the controversy over his use of ministerial cars and “sidelined” by the First Minister, who has taken more of a central role in the health portfolio in recent weeks.

Dame Jackie added: “Instead of taking any responsibility, the SNP hides behind staff, repelling every criticism as somehow the opposition talking down staff and suggesting that they are incapable.

“For the record, it is not NHS staff or social care staff that are incapable – it is this SNP Government.”

The Health Secretary did not directly address the calls for his resignation, but admitted “services are struggling”, adding: “People are waiting too long for treatment and there have been periods of real crisis in recent weeks linked to the exceptionally high flu prevalence that we have seen.

“We must also acknowledge that the sustained and significant pressure that the system has faced and continues to face places real pressure on staff.

“Change, clearly, is needed.”