Chamberlain comments on embargoed neurological report

Commenting on the embargoed report by the Neurological Alliance of Scotland which warns that patients with neurological conditions and their carers are ‘falling through the cracks’, with two out of three adults stating they are not coping well and over half of the surveyed carers providing more than 50 hours of unpaid care a week, Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain MP said:

“This report sets out the heavy, human toll of the SNP’s mismanagement of the health service.

“It is awful that so many vulnerable patients feel unsupported. The fact that those who look after them also feel ‘invisible’ is yet another sign of a government that fails to value care properly.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are the party of care. I am so proud to have passed the Carer’s Leave Act, which allows unpaid carers to better balance work and caring responsibilities. In recent budget negotiations with the Scottish Government, my party worked hard to secure a right for family carers to earn more. But there is still a long way to go.

“We need to give unpaid carers the fair deal they deserve. One way to do this would be to expand support for carer's respite, allowing carers to take a well-deserved break, supporting their wellbeing and driving down inequalities.”