I am getting really fed up with the behaviour of some who claim to be fellow members of the SNP and who see any criticism of the ScotGov as being a direct and unjustified attack on them or their political beliefs. (...)

To see the in-depth analysis of @Fionasstalker ripped apart as somehow partisan or anti-ScottishGovt. It isn't at all. Fiona is reporting the very real concerns by those who are members of the CPG Chronic Pain. I am a member and see and hear the horrifying experiences (...)

of chronic pain patients from across Scotland. People from all parties and none. The CPG has co-convenors from across the political spectrum. I have been dismayed and angry to see @Scotcatherine, a dedicated and passionate advocate for patients ripped apart (...)

and abused for daring to speak to the media about their harrowing experience of chronic pain services during the pandemic. I know Catherine and I know how much this took for her to share her story. Catherine has shared her experiences before and was again attacked. (...)

Not that this is any one else's business but @Scotcatherine is NOT a Labour activist and is not related to Labour Health Spokesperson and CPG co-convenor Monica Lennon. Catherine is a chronic pain patient who has been failed again and again and again. (...)

Our very own Minister @JoeFitzSNP was invited to come and speak to the CPG and hear the concerns of patients and pain experts from across Scotland. I'm sure Joe will agree that he was met with very forceful and passionate testimony by exasperated chronic pain patients (...)

from across Scotland. The former Health Secretary @AlexNeilSNP is an integral member of the CPG as are other SNP members. This is not one-upmanship. This is not and has never been about partisan point scoring. This is about patients, patients living with chronic pain (...)

in Scotland. The CPG members told Prof @jasonleitch at our last remote CPG meeting that patients are being failed. Chronic pain patients in Scotland are being let down - badly. I say this as someone who lives with chronic pain and who is a very vocal and active (...)

member of the SNP. People who are attacking Catherine and the other members of the CPG are no friend of mine and are doing absolutely nothing of any worth for the SNP or our future political ambitions for the country. Attacking patients is absolutely not going to (...)

make this country better or stronger. Everyone absolutely has the right to disagree and to offer their own opinions but you do not have the right to target, attack, abuse, malign and defame people for sharing their own experiences as a chronic pain patient in Scotland. (...)

Patient members of the CPG are a fundamental part of the Cross Party Group and allow legislators and pain experts and specialists to interface directly with those with lived experience. Chronic pain patients on the CPG like myself, give up our time and our energy to (...)

help work with legislators, pain experts and indeed government to make chronic pain services meet the needs of the people of Scotland. When we are at the CPG we have no party affiliations, we sit side by side by people from all walks of life and all parties and none. (...)

I have absolutely no time for those who are calling Catherine and other members "plants" or "stooges" and other charged names. Any member of my own party who is attacking the CPG members in this way are doing the party and themselves no favours. (...)

I have already contacted the party about two individuals who sent Catherine messages which are extremely abusive and threatening. Messages sent because Catherine grew tired of raising her experiences again, and again and again and again and again - yet nothing being done. (...)

Any person who is putting out nasty and insulting tweets or messages which attacks patients own experiences or which accuses patients of a whole host of things will find themselves brought to the attention of the party. I did not and do not, spend my time trying to (...)

convince people of the merits of a different future for Scotland only for nasty and embittered people to leap upon those sharing their own lived experiences of the multiple ways in which the chronic pain services in Scotland, have failed them. (...)

One of the co-convenors @MonicaLennon7 has been getting attacked and slated for amplifying the voices of exasperated chronic pain patients in Scotland. Monica does need me to wade in in defence of her or the work she does, but this needs to be said (...)

- How on earth can we create a better tomorrow if we are piling onto an elected MSP who is a co-convenor of the CPG, who is the Health Spokesperson for their party - for using her position to hold the govt to account and demand answers for exasperated patients. (...)

Play the ball - not the player!
(...)

As someone who has lived with chronic pain for over 18 years I can attest that chronic pain services in Scotland are SEVERELY lacking. In all the advocacy work I do, I have yet to meet more than a handful of patients of chronic pain services who are happy. (...)

Patient experience is not up for negotiation. It isn't up for barter or dismissal. Patients' sharing their own experience are not game for ridicule, antagonism, harassment and abuse. Press outlets reporting these stories are not stitching any one up and are not (...)

inflating or exaggerating. We have had many people at the CPG who are at the very end of what they can take. People who see the only way they can relieve their pain is to bring their life to a premature close. Those facts were shared with @JoeFitzSNP when he attended. (...)

These patients were not exaggerating or playing political games - these patients are absolutely desperate and feel let down. The CPG wrote to the ScotGovt about the levels of suicide in chronic pain patients and the reply we got back was less than helpful. (...)

I am deeply saddened that some feel the reaction to exasperated chronic pain patients sharing their experiences should be to go on the attack. Those who do so are not friends of democracy nor do they seek to create a type of country and society that I want to be part of.

@Scotcatherine is one of the very strongest and inspiring people I have the pleasure to know.