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Despite 1,264 drug-related deaths registered in Scotland in 2019, an increase of 6% from 1,187 in 2018, are we being a little cruel to lay all the blame on SNP Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick MSP? #indefensible – A thread 1/8
Remember (1) the figures are comparable with rest of the UK (2) just because the drugs are imported doesn’t stop it being a Scottish problem and (3) just because the Tory drugs policy is wrong does not absolve the Scottish Government from its responsibility 2/8
In 2016–2017 the Scottish Government reduced the budget for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships across Scotland by £15.3 million. This caused withdrawal of services, reduced provision, under-staffing and lack of continuity in relationships with clients 3/8
The idea was that health boards would replace the funding from additional funding they were supposed to get, but that did not always happen as general NHS funding was under pressure from other needs. The effect on real people was predicted 4/8
Joe Fitzpatrick was appointed in June 2018. His predecessor was Aileen Campbell MSP. He took over when she was promoted to Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government. Ms Campbell was the minister when the cuts were made 5/8
Ms Campbell is standing down in May, but she was promoted by the First Minister. The cuts were made by then Finance Secretary Derek Mackay MSP and as the burden of funding was transferred to the NHS presumably the Cabinet Secretary for Health was content with the change 6/8
Mr Fitzpatrick may not be able to explain what happened, why it happened, when it happened and why it was a sensible thing to do at the time, but he isn’t in Cabinet and he isn’t the only person who stood by as the deaths rose and the funding dried up. 7/8
Hundreds of Scots have died because this Government didn’t think this problem was worth their time. They took their eye of the ball and spent the money on other things. If you think this will change because of the First Minister’s statement, then I have a ferry to sell you. 8/8
