‘Completely scandalous’

Only the good die young, or so the saying goes. In Scotland, it might be closer to the truth to replace “good” with “poor”.

The new Scottish Burden of Disease Deprivation report estimates nearly a third of all early deaths and ill health could be avoided if everyone had the same life circumstances as the richest people in this country. As Dr Diane Stockton, who led the study, says, these were deaths that “didn’t need to happen”. Scottish Conservative spokesman Miles Briggs added it was “completely scandalous and deeply concerning” that people from the most deprived areas of the country were twice as likely to die early. Given the Scottish Government funded the research and Labour promised to ensure a “health inequality assessment” of every one of its policies if elected to government, there appears to be a political consensus.

Our politicians are talking a good game. Perhaps now, with lives literally at stake, they could put their difference aside for a moment and work together to find effective ways to ensure all Scots have a decent chance of a long and healthy life, regardless of their parents’ wealth.