Government must do better
In the Scottish Parliament chamber we have had debates surrounding the roll out of COVID vaccine passports.
We heard concerns from those involved in the night time economy about the scheme and a call for an indefinite delay to the rollout of the passports until the basic issues were ironed out.
The Scottish Government, however, ploughed on with the rollout.
What we saw with the launch of the passport app was an absolute shambles as thousands of people sought to download it and found themselves unable to do.
Those involved in the night time economy have been hit very hard throughout the pandemic. They are significant employers and make a valued contribution to our economy. For them to then find themselves caught up in this shambolic roll out was extremely unfortunate at best.
As we head into the autumn and winter we know that our NHS is likely to find itself under even further pressure. The continued roll out of the COVID vaccine along with booster jabs and the annual flu vaccination programme gives us the best opportunities to protect our elderly and vulnerable residents.
The ongoing challenges being seen in our ambulance service though has to be addressed by the government. For residents who live in our rural communities and who find themselves a long way from their nearest hospital, there is a huge concern that an ambulance might not be available should they require one. The health secretary and the first minister have been challenged on this consistently in the Scottish Parliament and the answers coming forward have not given the confidence needed by the public.
The use of the army to support our ambulance service is helpful and, as they have helped with the vaccination roll out, they have once again proven the additional resilience that they are able to provide.
Residents must have the confidence to call an ambulance if they need one and I will continue to challenge the Scottish Government on this and other issues surrounding healthcare provision for residents in Perth and Kinross.
Last week saw the delayed opening of the new session of the Scottish Parliament by HM The Queen. It was an excellent occasion made even more special by the attendance of‘local heroes’ from all across Scotland. These were individuals who had made a significant contribution to their local communities during the COVID pandemic.
I was absolutely delighted to welcome Robert Allan of Kinross Rugby Club to Holyrood as my guest for the day and even more delighted that the Queen took time to speak with him and commend the club for all that it had achieved during the pandemic.
Everywhere I go in Kinross local people speak very highly of the club and, most especially, its work with junior players, many of whom had a really tough time during the height of COVID when so many other activities were halted. I warmly congratulate the club and look forward to its continuing progress this season. It was a tough job to choose someone to nominate as right across Perth and Kinross there were so many local heroes. To each and everyone of you who played a part in the resilience and community support effort - thank you.