MSP questions government priority over heart disease

Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has called for efforts to combat heart and circulatory disease to be given greater priority in future.

The condition affects 68,000 people across the Highlands and Islands, and the British Heart Foundation has raised concerns that while the Scottish government committed £117 million and £42 million to cancer and diabetes strategies, only £1 million was spent on the 2014 Heart Disease Improvement Plan.

In the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Mr Halcro Johnston challenged public health minister Mairi Gougeon on why the condition had not been given a similar priority to that of cancer and diabetes.

He said: “previously highlighted that patients from the Northern Isles needing heart treatment had been offered operations in Newcastle because of delays in Scotland.

“Scotland has to up its game in tackling a condition which affects so many families and takes far too many lives far too early.”