Changing habits

JEANE Freeman has one of the toughest jobs in public life.

She has to run, and improve, Scotland’s health service.

The NHS has been a big problem for the SNP in recent years, with longer waiting times and staff shortages in key locations.

But Freeman has already shown she has the guts to step up to a difficult task.

She was putting together the country’s newly expanding social security system when Nicola Sturgeon changed her role.

Adding to the stress, Freeman has kicked her smoking habit.

Anyone who has ever tried to quit cigarettes will know it’s not easy.

But compared to fixing the problems in the NHS, it might seem like a walk in the park.

JEANE Freeman hopes to lead by example in her new job as Health Secretary – and she’s off to a good start after kicking a 42-year smoking habit.

As she sat down with the Daily Record to discuss her plans to tackle waiting times and other pressing problems in our NHS, the former nurse revealed that she had her last puff in November.

She admitted quitting wasn’t easy but added: “I am 64 and have every intention of living as long as I can.”

The determination she showed in giving up smoking should stand her in good stead as she gets to grips with one of the toughest briefs in Scottish politics.

Freeman said: “I was one of those smokers who moved to the low tar.

“You go through all the steps that show you recognise it as something you should not be doing, but you are trying very hard to kid yourself if you move to low tar it is not as bad as before.

“I used to convince myself the only way I could really concentrate on something and write something was if BY VIVIENNE AITKEN I had a cigarette. I don’t think any of my speeches have been worse since November because I haven’t had a cigarette in my hand as I wrote them.”

But Freeman, who used nicotine patches to quit, hasn’t tried to persuade her partner Susan Stewart to stop.

She said: “I can be quite thrawn, so when more people told me not to smoke, it didn’t work – so I am not going to nag her in that way.”

Freeman also admitted that she has work to do on her personal fitness.

She said: “I am not sporty, never have been. I walk, but not as much as I should do. I have downloaded a yoga app, so now this is going to be in the public domain I better start using it.”

Getting on to national health matters, the new minister vowed to take action on waiting times in Scotland’s hospitals – and revealed some targets may be