Tories make inquiry call over two-tier health talks
An urgent investigation is being called for by the Scottish Tories after NHS chiefs discussed the creation of a "two-tier" health service which would charge the wealthy.
Audit Scotland have been urged to intervene after leaked minute sofa Septembermeeting with senior health official say they were given the" green light" to discuss reforms by NHS Scotland chief executive Caroline Lamb.
One suggestion in the minutes,seen by thebbc,w as to "design a two-tier system" which would see those who could afford to, go private.
Nicola Sturgeon quashed the discussion on Monday as she said she was" emphatically" against the idea, statingthe principles of thenhs were" not up for discussion ".
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf also shot down the claims, which he described as "abhorrent".
The leaked document also discussed sending patients home more quickly after treatment and pausing the funding of some new drugs.
Despite the Scottish Government's moves to dismiss suggestion sofa two-tier system, Tory MSP Craig Hoy has said the public need to know why such radical proposals were being debated.
He said an Audit Scotland probe is necessary to cast light on the "controversy surrounding this meeting".
Mr Hoy said: "Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf may have been at pains to try to shoot these reports down but that should not be the end of the matter.
"We need Audit Scotland to investigate the controversy surrounding this meeting. The leaked minutes clearlysug ge stnhs leaders were given the green light to think the unthinkable – including patient charging.
"We must ur gently find out why that was.”