Scots campaigner 'surprised' as fight for life-changing equipment goes on

A Scottish campaigner says she is "pleasantly surprised" a Holyrood committee has agreed to keep her petition on ground-breaking tech open.

Mary Ramsay, who has Essential Tremor, wants focused ultrasound technology made available to NHS Scotland patients.

The Inverness woman was delighted a fundraising target, raised by the University of Dundee, was reached, but is disappointed all patients still can't be treated on it.

However, the Public Petitions committee agreed yesterday to not closing her petition but to continue to include it in its legacy paper for its successor committee after the Scottish Parliament elections in May, along with a suggestion to then seek an update from new Health Secretary on the Scottish Government’s plans to make the treatment more widely available.

Mary says she "can't thank the committee enough."

She said: "It was a pleasant surprise that the committee could keep the petition open and pass it on.

"The committee has been very supportive, and I appreciate that, and really can’t thank them enough.

"Although disappointing that the Government has not seen where I am coming from, the fact that I have cross-party support will hopefully be beneficial for the next Parliament.

“I now have the support of the Neurological Alliance, a coalition of organisations working to transform the lives of those living with a neurological condition, which has also added strength to the campaign."

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP, Rhoda Grant, a long-time supporter of Mrs Ramsay’s campaign, spoke to the committee, thanked members for all the work that they had done and stressed that Mrs Ramsay was not going to give up pressing for the treatment to be widely available in Scotland.

She said: "I can’t help feeling we are making progress but not fast enough.

"It does not appear that the Scottish Government has done anything to assist the process of bringing this ground-breaking technology to Scotland.

"I know Mary Ramsay shares my frustration.

"While understanding the pandemic has slowed things down, there is also a real concern that those requiring treatment now are suffering because of this delay.

"The technology offers faster, safer treatment and is therefore more cost effective. It could be available in Scotland this summer and that would be a game changer for those suffering from Essential Tremor.

"This delay is of no comfort for those waiting for this treatment and it adds to the frustration that this is available to others with the same condition in the rest of the UK."

The Scottish Government say talks are ongoing to see if the treatment can be made available on the NHS.

A spokesperson said: "The Scottish Government is aware of some early work by the University of Dundee and Ninewells Hospital to treat a very small number of essential tremor patients through the use of a focus ultrasound scanner on a trial basis.

"It is imperative that before any new procedure is adopted into the NHS, it is first subject to rigorous clinical assessment to establish patient safety and efficacy and the trial in Dundee will help inform the evidence base for the treatment.

"NHS National Services Division are engaging with both the clinicians in Dundee and with commissioning colleagues in England to assess how this treatment might be made available to Scottish patients through a cross-border referral process."