00:00It's really important that we continue to sustain investment in the National Health
00:07Service. The National Health Service is an absolutely precious facility and institution
00:12in all of our lives and it's important that we continue to build on the recovery from
00:18Covid. Covid was enormously disruptive to the operation of the National Health Service
00:22and I want to make sure that the Health Service is able to deliver on the needs and the expectations
00:28of the people of Scotland and that will be reflected in the Government's approach to
00:31the budget. And what we've got to make sure is that we sustain the investment both in
00:35the day-to-day expenditure on the National Health Service in relation to staffing and
00:39of course we've increased staffing in the National Health Service over the lifetime
00:43of this Government, but that we also invest in the facilities of the National Health Service
00:47so that we have the technology and the environment and the facilities that will enable us to
00:52treat more patients. And that will be the focus of the plans that the Government is
00:57taking forward, the reforms that were undertaken to maximise productivity in the National Health
01:02Service and to make sure that the needs of patients are met. For me there's an absolutely
01:06fundamental principle about the National Health Service which is that people's health needs
01:11must be available to be resolved at the time of their need and without any cost to those
01:17individuals. That is the whole principle of the National Health Service and that is one
01:22that I cherish and that I will remain absolutely committed to and will deliver against.
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