Scottish Government urged to ‘do right’ by women and appoint health champion

SNP ministers are being challenged to “do right by the women of Scotland” and fulfil their pledge to appoint a Women’s Health Champion.

Appointing someone to such a role was one of 66 pledges made in the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Plan – published in August 2021.

But with no appointment made as yet, Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “When it comes to women’s health, it’s clear that the women of Scotland cannot trust the promises of this SNP government.”

She added: “A year-and-a-half on from promising a Women’s Health Champion would be appointed, no such champion is in post.”

A group of 17 leading charities, including Alzheimer’s Scotland, the British Menopause Society and Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland, raised the issue with women’s health minister Maree Todd in May last year.

The group, which also included campaigners at Engender, Inclusion Scotland and The Menopause Charity, said then that there was “no time to lose” in making the appointment if Scotland was to be a “world leader in women’s health”.

Ms Baillie said: “The women of Scotland need a government that is on their side, not a government that is only interested in warm words and photo ops.

“It’s time for the SNP to do right by the women of Scotland and deliver the Women’s Health Champion that we need.”

Ms Todd, the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, said a “number of high-calibre women” had been interviewed for the post, adding that the appointments process is now in “the final stages”.

She said Health Secretary Humza Yousaf would update Holyrood “early in the new year”.