Speaking ahead of the publication of new drugs deaths statistics which are expected to show that Scotland is once again the drugs death capital of Europe, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today urged the Scottish Government to kickstart a new era of drugs policy radicalism. 

Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton spent an afternoon this week at Blackhall mosque loading bags of food staples on to vans ready to distribute to those in need in the area. The ingredients are provided by Islamic Relief UK and allow people to cook healthy meals for their families.

Responding to the publication of new Test and Protect statistics, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP commented:

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today warned that the rights of people with mental ill health are at risk after a new report revealed that just 4 in 10 mental health detentions were carried out with the consent of specialist staff.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton has today said that ministers must hit the phones and ensure that everyone who has not yet had a vaccine receives a phone call to offer an appointment and win over any waverers.

New statistics released by Public Health Scotland show A&E departments continue to struggle as the four-hour target time dropped again to a new lowest level since January 2018.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today set out a to-do list of areas in which the Health Secretary must take action including measures to boost vaccine uptake among young people, improve the performance of the Protect Scotland app and extra contact tracing staff.

Responding to the Health Secretary's interview on Good Morning Scotland this morning in which he denied the NHS was in crisis, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

Statistics released by Public Health Scotland show A&E departments under “unsustainable pressure”, as the percentage being seen within the four hour target time dropped to its lowest level since 22 December 2020, in the midst of the second wave.

Scottish Liberal Democrats have accused the SNP of offering just words not action on NHS waiting lists.  Today the party warned of the “weight of work” that will be required to get the NHS back on track, as new analysis reveals 220,653 scheduled operations have been lost during the course of the pandemic.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today said the cervical cancer screening scandal must prompt the Scottish Government to speed up the appoint of a new independent figure to champion the cause of patients.

Responding to the news that walk-in vaccination centres will be available everywhere in mainland Scotland from Monday, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today warned that Scotland’s cancer care services are “on the cusp of a crisis”, as new statistics reveal a significant decrease in the number of cervical cancer patients receiving treatment on time.

People aged between 18 and 39 can now attend a drop-in vaccination clinic for people at the RBS Younger Building in South Gyle.

Scottish Liberal Democrats caused Scottish ministers to admit that they had known since March about fatal errors in the cervical screening programme. Health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP commented: