Committee backs public health protection moves
20 Mar 08
But MSPs want balance between public health priorities and individuals' rights in new bill
Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee has backed proposals contained in the Public Health (Scotland) Bill, but has called for a right to appeal against compulsory medical examinations.
In their stage 1 report on the bill, the MSPs recommend that the parliament agrees the bill’s general principles – to restate and amend the law on public health protection, statutory nuisances and provision of mortuaries.
However, they also recommend improvements to the proposals to ensure the correct balance between public health priorities and the rights of individuals.
The bill currently proposes that if someone is suspected of having an infectious disease that poses significant risks to public health, that person may be medically examined, quarantined or detained in hospital. The committee wants the bill to include a right of appeal against compulsory medical examination.
In addition, it calls for the inclusion of simplified legal procedures and appropriate sharing of information between relevant bodies. The committee also wants to scrutinise likely stage 2 amendments to extend the provisions for sunbed parlour operators, by outlawing the unsupervised use of sunbeds and the use of sunbeds by the under-18s.
Committee convener, Christine Grahame MSP, said: "We live in times where people travel more – and to more places – than ever before. Against that background and in the light of outbreaks such as E-coli at home and SARS around the globe, this bill will put Scotland’s house in order. The committee views these provisions as necessary, given the context of global biosecurity and international co-operation."