KATE Forbes branded her constituents “quite the protest experts” and hit out at “scaremongering” over hospital cuts, private WhatsApps reveal.
Messages released via freedom of information reveal the Deputy First Minister’s remarks as she gave tips to Humza Yousaf about how to handle a ministerial visit to Skye in 2022.
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The WhatsApps came amid a long-running row over urgent care and inpatient beds at the island’s Portree Hospital.
There was fresh anger over the issue in May this year as the hospital was shuttered when one woman died and another fell seriously ill at the nearby Skye Live music festival.
In one April 2022 message to then Health Secretary Mr Yousaf, Ms Forbes said: “Hard to ignore Portree Hospital…whether you go or not, as soon as the north Skye community get wind you’re in town they’ll stage a protest (they’re quite the protest experts) so it might be worth hitting that head on and visiting Portree hospital/ speaking to them.”
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Ms Forbes added: “I met the community group last week … nice island ladies who have been scaremongered by people who should know better.”
In the messages, Ms Forbes had advised now ex First Minister Mr Yousaf on various potential visits while he was on Skye to officially open Broadford Community Hospital.
Mr Yousaf replied: “Okay doke very helpful.”
Ms Forbes then appears to explain more about the Portree issues, saying its a “V v long running saga”.
Sections of this message are blanked out in the FoI release, but Ms Forbes ends it by joking: “All cheery stuff!”
Mr Yousaf replied to her saying “Wish I’d never asked” and posted a ‘grimacing’ emoji.
Ms Forbes then said “Soz” and added a ‘crying with laughter’ emoji.
Hospital provision on Skye has been the subject of heated debate in the past decade, amid threats of closures and staff shortages – with the Save Our Services NHS Skye group leading protests.
Ms Forbes has previously praised local campaigners and hailed them as “tireless” in public statements.
In 2018, amid plans to downgrade Portree Hospital, a review by medic Sir Lewis Ritchie said urgent out-of-hours care should be provided 24/7 at the hospital and inpatient beds must remain.
Last night, Scottish Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said the WhatsApps would “anger and frustrate many people on Skye”, adding: “Those living in the north of the island have long been concerned about the downgrading of local health services, and to have those concerns dismissed as scaremongering is simply shameful.”
Scottish Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said “These astounding comments show the SNP’s callous disregard for a community struggling with a dangerous lack of NHS services.
“We have seen time and time again the tragic consequences of the SNP’s centralisation campaign in communities like Skye, and it beggars belief that this important campaign has been dismissed as scaremongering.”
Read more on the Scottish Sun
But Ms Forbes last night said the “scaremongering” she referenced “came from opposition politicians who were not straight and often jeopardised progress at Portree Hospital”.
She added: “Much like anybody’s private messages, these were never intended for publication and so I’ve used colloquial and looser language.”
