THE Health Secretary has performed a snap U-turn in the Holyrood chamber after the Herald on Sunday revealed she was trying to duck public questions on the NHS.
Jeane Freeman was accused of “cowardly” behaviour after new guidance approved on her watch said ministers would no longer take part in a traditional Q&A at NHS board reviews.
When she was health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon said she "looked forward" to answering questions from the public about their local health service at the annual events.
However Ms Freeman, who took over health in June, was ready to drop the practice.
In a written parliamentary answer last week, she confirmed the format for the annual review of each health board had been changed.
Although ministers would visit boards to meet staff, they would not face the public, as that was the responsibility of the boards themselves.
She wrote: “In terms of changes to the format of Reviews: Ministers are not present at the public session; nor are they meeting with the full NHS Board during the private session.
“I am clear that Health Boards should be accountable to the communities they serve.”
At Holyrood on Tuesday, Labour MSP Monica Lennon forced Ms Freeman to answer an urgent question on the change of format, calling it a “stark change of direction” from Ms Sturgeon’s days.
“The changes that have been brought in by Jeane Freeman will undermine public scrutiny and will represent a backward step,” she said.
Despite her previous statement that ministers would no longer be present, Ms Freeman told MSPs there would be a “ministerial presence” after all.
She said: “There will be public sessions, which will have a ministerial presence.
“There will be questions and ministers will be there to answer those, along with health boards who are the subject of annual reviews in order to hold them to account.
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Speaking later, Ms Lennon said: “This immediate u-turn is very welcome. The Health Secretary made a bad decision and patients will be relieved she will no longer hide from them.
"I look forward to the Health Secretary reissuing guidance to health boards so that they can make the necessary arrangements for the public to take part in scrutiny.”
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