East Lothian Courier | Opinion | Minister attacks Gray’s comments

Thursday, 20th November, 2008

Published: Thursday, 14th August, 2008 08:30

Minister attacks Gray’s comments

With reference to your article concerning my correspondence with Iain Gray (‘Housebound due to a weighty problem’, East Lothian Courier, July 11), I write to object to Mr Gray’s allegation that my response to his concerns was “complacent”.

Mr Gray and his constituents can be assured that I take the issue of home oxygen cylinders very seriously and that my officials have been working with local health board counterparts across Scotland to see that inconvenience to patients is minimised.

As stated in my letter to Mr Gray, the shortage of the lighter cylinders was caused by a manufacturing problem in France which was completely outwith our control.

In Scotland, we acted quickly to make sure that no-one was without their oxygen supply and this meant providing people with slightly heavier cylinders.

While I sincerely hope that nobody found them too heavy for their use, these cylinders were formerly standard issue before they were superseded by the lighter model and therefore it was expected that the great majority of people would still be able to get around.

It is my understanding that the company involved has fixed the problem which upset supply of lighter cylinders and this situation is now continuously improving.

My officials are working closely with the company which supplies portable oxygen cylinders and improvement will be monitored against set targets on a monthly basis.

In the meantime, I would call on my opponents not to try to make political capital out of an issue which the public need be in no doubt I treat with the utmost importance.

Shona Robison

Minister for Public Health

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