Falkirk SNP politicians deny they snubbed crisis-hit NHS Forth Valley meetings

Stephen Kerr has criticised SNP politicians for not attending health board briefings

A freedom of information request by local Conservatives revealed that no SNP MPs or MSPs had attended briefings with the crisis-hit health board in the last six months, despite it being placed into special measures by the Scottish Government last November.

But Mr Matheson, who is also the Falkirk West constituency MSP, said that he had regular meetings with NHS Forth Valley chief executive Cathie Cowan, with the last only two weeks ago.

Another MSP said her staff always attended the briefings and one MP revealed that he had been unable to attend as he had been recovering from serious illness.

Michael Matheson MSP said he had regular meetings with NHS Forth Valley chief executive

The FOI response stated: “NHS Forth Valley had established regular local/regional MSP/MP quarterly meetings and since moving to Stage 4 Escalation have with agreement changed the frequency of these meeting to monthly from December 2022.”

Tory MSPs Stephen Kerr and Alexander Stewart, Labour members Monica Lennon and Richard Leonard, and Scottish Greens Mark Ruskell and Gillian MacKay attended at least one of the meetings from December to February.

Criticising the SNP politicians, Stephen Kerr said: "It is absolutely astounding that no local SNP MSP or MP has felt it worth their time to attend any of these briefings. What have they prioritised over the state of NHS Forth Valley?

"Even more astounding is that Falkirk West MSP, Michael Matheson, who has represented the area since 2007 and has recently been appointed Scotland's new Cabinet Secretary for Health, didn't attend any of these briefings.

"Can we really have confidence in a Cabinet Secretary for Health who didn't prioritise the state of NHS Forth Valley when it was placed into special measures amid concerns over leadership, governance, and culture? I think not."

Michael Matheson said: "I have regular engagement with NHS Forth Valley in relation to constituency enquiries and issues. I prefer to meet directly with the chief executive of NHS Forth Valley to discuss my local constituency matters, of which, I last met with the chief executive on April 6."

Revealing that he had been seriously ill from November until February, Linlithgow and East Falkirk MP Martyn Day said this was an “unwarranted personal attack on myself and other hardworking SNP MPs and MSPs within the district”.

He added: “This approach is typical of the Tory representatives , who appear to waste more time criticising others, rather than getting on with the job they are elected to do.“I have an excellent relationship with NHS Forth Valley, and these meetings are not the only form of communication I have with them, as I am sure is the case with my other colleagues I have no doubt, this relationship will continue in a positive way in the future undeterred by political interference from our Tory colleagues.”

Michelle Thomson, Falkirk East MSP, said since November a member of her team has attended everyone of the meetings, adding: “The Freedom of Information request submitted to NHS Forth Valley was worded to specifically enquire about MSP and MP attendance, and did not include stipulate staff attendance. Where I have been unable to attend myself due to prior engagements or time-sensitive meetings, I have ensured a member of my team attends, takes notes and briefs me accordingly.

“This is the case for all MSPs and I note Stephen Kerr MSP himself attended only one meeting between December 2022 and March 2023. There are various other channels of communication between MSPs and their relevant NHS local authority health boards, all of which my office and I utilise to assist our constituents.”