In Parliament

Below, you can find my contribution to the members debate "Dying in Poverty in Scotland 2024"

As the convener of the Scottish Parliament cross-party group on palliative care, I welcome the opportunity to discuss once more the issues that relate to tackling poverty for people with terminal conditions and those who are approaching the end of life, as well as their families and carers.

I thank Paul Sweeney for securing the debate, which allows us to consider the thoughtful and, frankly, the rightly fundamentally challenging Marie Curie report, “Dying in Poverty in Scotland 2024”. That challenge provides an imperative for the UK Labour Government and the SNP Scottish Government to work together. No one should be living in poverty, let alone as they approach the end of life. The dying in the margins study by Marie Curie set out the unvarnished reality of living in poverty with a terminal illness. We must all work together to do more.

At the heart of the recommendations from Marie Curie is a direct challenge to the UK Government to use the UK benefits system to tackle poverty at its source by allowing those of working age who have less than 12 months to live to access their state pension if they have sufficient national insurance contributions. The recommendation also says that those who do not have sufficient contributions should be able to access pension credit. I am inclined to support that call and would welcome a meeting with Marie Curie to see how we can progress that, and ask the UK Government to consider the recommendation. I am not suggesting that it will be easy—it will present complexities and financial challenges—but we must try.

A key recommendation for the Scottish Government is to consider whether to enshrine in law an explicit right to palliative care. Mr Briggs, who we have heard from in the debate, is consulting on a member’s bill on that, and I wish him well with it. I have stated in the chamber that I support that right, and I have said that we must not only enshrine that right in law but ensure that it can be exercised in an effective, equitable and consistent way. That does not necessarily require legislation, because we already have in Scotland a palliative care system with some wonderful practice. However, the system is under pressure, it needs to be expanded and it requires innovation. Enshrining that right in law can drive some of that change.

The Scottish Government is consulting on a new draft palliative care strategy. Getting the strategy and future strategies right is key, as is how integration joint boards and others fund, finance and commission services. That sits at the heart of the exercise of any right. Yes—the sector needs more financial support, but the cross-party group also heard that innovation, service redesign and a meaningful partnership with the third sector can improve service and save money.

The additional £4 million for hospices that was announced in Scotland’s budget yesterday will help, as will the Scottish Government’s guarantee that future NHS agenda for change pay awards in Scotland will trigger commensurate uplifts to fund the required pay increases in hospices. I have been calling consistently for that for some time—it will make a real difference. It would also make a real difference to lift the £2.5 million bombshell that UK national insurance increases will inflict on the sector.

I am also attracted to the recommendations to extend the Scottish child payment and winter heating payments to families or individuals in cases where someone is terminally ill, perhaps within the last year of life. That is similar to the calls on the UK Government in relation to pensions. Again, I would welcome a meeting with Marie Curie to discuss that further. I would also welcome a meeting with the minister, along with Marie Curie, to discuss not only those proposals but the on-going challenges that hospices face.