The Scottish Labour Health and Sport Cabinet Secretary Anas Sarwar MSP addressed a packed hall of Labour Party members and supporters at Garnock Community Social Club in Kilbirnie recently.

The Labour front bencher and former candidate for leadership of the Scottish Party spoke at length about many subjects relating to North Ayrshire, the Garnock Valley and the Ayrshire Growth Deal, but being the party’s portfolio holder for Health and Sport he talked about the NHS and the challenges facing.

The MSP said: “The mess made of workforce planning and years of mismanagement means there simply aren’t enough staff in the health service.

“Those on the frontline will say there is now a ‘perfect storm’ with a culture lacking compassion, where doctors suffering stress and burnout are not supported and nurtured. Cuts and complacency by the SNP in Holyrood and the Tories in Westminster have left the NHS in a precarious position, and since January 3000 operations have been cancelled in Scotland.

Spokesperson Scott Wilson: “Anas is one of the hardest working MSPs in Holyrood and we were obviously thrilled to have him with us. He raised some really interesting issues and led a discussion on the state of our NHS.”