Fraught with risk
The proposed merger of Shetland Islands Council (SIC) and NHS Shetland sounds like welcome decentralisation? Let’s see.
Increasing local powers is certainly desirable. However, kicking off with such a complex, controversial service is fraught with risk. Transfer would require carefully considered planning, implementation and expense.
Who will be the employer? Where will the money come from? Who decides how it is spent? Will it be cut? How will it interact with mainland health boards? Who will be sued in court for failures? Etc…
SIC would be even more vulnerable to Holyrood funding cuts than it is now.
The Scottish Government is trying to cut our £25.5 billion annual deficit with Westminster, to minimise borrowing, tax hikes and austerity with independence.
Councillors and officials would be in the firing line when health funding is cut and targets missed in the chaos of major reorganisation. There would inevitably be pressure to supplement the NHS from SIC reserves. And who could refuse when “lives are at stake!”.
Last September, then SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad wrote (in a Shetland News Viewpoint):
“The first minister was crystal clear […] ‘Come with a shopping list’ for more autonomy […] here’s mine:”
1. “Planning: All energy project planning in Shetland, of any size, should come under local control.”
2. “Seabed: Shetland should have direct control over Crown Estate leasing and revenues, so that we can set conditions – or say no – to offshore cables, substations and wind developments.”
3. “Community consent: Lobby for a legal requirement of community council approval before onshore energy projects proceed.”
No mention of NHS Shetland?
Ms Goodlad’s “list” was sensible, well within SIC’s existing competence.
So, why the sudden urge to transfer health? To siphon council reserves into government spending, perhaps? Starting with the most difficult service in such a knee-jerk manner invites failure.
The best outcome is the pillaging of SIC reserves to supplement funding whereas failure would discredit increased local powers.
The SIC is right to resist. They should push instead for devolution of the Crown Estates and energy planning via Ms Goodlad’s ‘Shetland Energy Act’, to win control before it is too late.
That’s what won the election, not mucking about with “our NHS”.
John Tulloch
Aberdeen
