A quick update on Chronic Pain services in the Highlands – I have now secured a key assurance from the First Minister, John Swinney, amid mounting concern over the future of NHS Highland’s specialist Clinical Pain Intervention service.
With the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) recommendations that equitable access to pain intervention is essential across Scotland and with the Minister for Public Health’s previous statements on the need for both intervention and therapy to be used in the treatment of chronic pain, on Thursday I asked the First Minister directly in Parliament about the reports suggesting the intervention service in the Highlands could be shut down as early as September.
Patients have already been left distressed by the decision NHS Highland made in 2022 to stop offering interventions and injections to new patient with fears now that existing patients may soon lose access to these vital treatments too.
During First Minister’s Questions on Thursday the First Minister confirmed that “no final decision has been taken” on the service’s future and insisted that NHS Boards must carry out full and meaningful consultation with local communities before making any major changes.
I welcome the First Minister’s clarification as patients are terrified they will be forced to travel hundreds of miles to the central belt for essential treatment. His assurance offers temporary relief, but this situation is far from resolved.
In an indication of how seriously the Scottish Government reacted to NHS Highland’s proposed changes, within hours of my Parliamentary question, I received written confirmation from Jenni Minto, Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, who stressed that the Scottish Government “remains determined to improve care and support for people in chronic pain.” Ms Minto emphasised that she asked her officials to make contact with NHS Highland to reiterate her firm expectation that local communities are properly consulted ahead of any proposed changes to that service.
The Minister stated that she is confident that NHS Highland fully understands her expectations here and that any future decisions about this service will be informed by such engagement. Ms Minto also went on to say, ‘Everyone should be able to access the services they need – when and where they need them.’
I do welcome this latest Ministerial involvement reiterating the Scottish Government’s stance, but the underlying issue remains that NHS Highland has a statutory duty to deliver care that is safe, effective, and person‑centred. Living in the Highlands must not mean reduced access to healthcare.
NHS Highland has made contact with my office advising that they will meet with me about this but I haven’t yet had confirmation of a date for this.
Together with my Highland MSP colleagues Edward Mountain and Fergus Ewing, we will continue to hold NHS Highland to account until a sustainable, local pain management intervention service is secured.