 The final item of business today is a member's business debate on motion number 12136, in the name of Linda Fabiani, on Marie Curie's 2015 great Daffodil appeal. This debate will be concluded without any questions being put, and I would be grateful if those members who wish to participate could press the request-to-speak buttons now. I call on Linda Fabiani to open the debate at seven minutes, please. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. It's actually quite pleasant after the two contentious debates that we've had this afternoon, where no agreement was reached that way we're talking about a subject this evening that everyone, I would think, would be in absolute accord with, which is about recognising the great work that is done by the charity that is Marie Curie, and to welcome the 2015 great Daffodil appeal. It's a great pleasure to me as well to be given the privilege of running this debate because I'm such a huge supporter of the work that's carried out. This year, again, in March, we have the Daffodil appeal, and what's fascinating is just how much money that makes. It's really caught the public imagination. We're all going about with Daffodils, and there's a host of Golden Daffodils sitting up in the public gallery. I'm sure they haven't just wandered in off the street. I'm pretty certain that those people up there are our volunteers, and I'm looking forward to welcoming them all later at the reception, and I hope that colleagues can come along to that as well. You should know that, since it first started in 1986, the appeal has raised more than £80 million across the UK, so it's a very worthwhile annual initiative. 30,000 hours of nursing care and emotional support was given by the money that was raised in Scotland in 2014, so worthwhile. Everyone knows what Marie Curie does—expert care, emotional support, research and guidance, the information service, bereavement support—but when I say that, I deliberately left out the word cancer because people automatically assume that Marie Curie and the services are all about cancer. Of course, a large part of that is the case. We all know just how many people get affected by cancer in life, but what a lot of people don't realise is that the Marie Curie nurses and the Marie Curie service is for any kind of terminal illness, and people with all different kinds of conditions and troubles are helped by Marie Curie. They've come out with a new five-year strategy, and part of it is trying to raise the awareness of exactly what Marie Curie does, and it sets out how to reach more people living with that terminal illness and offering the vital care and support. It's about new services, caring for more people through the services and hospices, research, development of health policy and investing significantly in the infrastructure so that that care and support can be more extensive, both indirectly and directly. There are key issues relating to terminal illnesses in Scotland. It seems to me that, ever since very early days of the Parliament, Marie Curie, in lobbying in the best sense members in the Parliament, has spoken about the issues relating to dying in Scotland. I remember one of the very first campaigns that got me aware was the campaign on the right to die at home, and that campaign is on going. It's so very, very important. The figures here—I don't want to dwell on all those figures—but more than 54,000 people die in Scotland every year. Of course, that will rise. Close to 60 per cent of people die in hospital, yet the vast majority of people would prefer to die at home, so that Marie Curie campaign is on going. It's again something that we should all bear in mind. Surely, if people want to die at home, they should be given all the support that is necessary to allow palliative care to be given. After all, we have an ageing population. It would seem that, quite often, there is inequality in accessing palliative care that is necessary of the type that the suffering person wishes, of the type that the family wishes to, because support is not just given to the person who requires palliative care—it is wider than that. Support is given to the family and friends of that person as well. The Scottish Government has committed to publishing a new strategy, a national framework for action. It's interesting to see that. It would be good if that could really address the inequities of care across diseases and settings and try to get a clear picture of what is required, the publication of data and set out a plan to help people. The 2020 vision document, which has been generally agreed to be a good document and a good strategy and vision to be aiming for is a Government document. There is no reference to terminal illness, dying or death in this 2020 vision document. That plan is being refreshed. I would ask again the minister to take on board and back to her colleagues that that is considered, because we need honest and open conversations about death and dying and tackling that taboo and giving support to initiatives such as good life, good death and good grief. It is about support for carers, family members and really integrated looking at the unit as a whole. In the short time that we have got left, one of the things that I am delighted about here this evening is that we have so many volunteers here from right across the country who volunteer for Maricuni. Over 4,000 people in Scotland volunteer each year collecting and raising funds, helping patients, acting as patrons and advisers, supporting services and hospices, or indeed working in shops. I have a group in East Kilbride that only started a few years ago. I do not know if they are here this evening. I hope that they are. It seems like they have been there forever working away really, really hard. They are always saying that you can come and do this, come and do that. Some of it seems really hard. When you look through the Maricuri book about all the things that they are doing, marathons, trecs, walking, oh my goodness, I do not want to do anything like that. Can I say that if they are here? I quite fancy the tea party. I certainly do not fancy standing in East Kilbride shopping centre with one of those big yellow top hats that my friend the minister stood in last year, although I do understand that she did help raise lots of funds there. On behalf of myself and all my colleagues, I think that even the ones who are not here, because people would like to be here but have other things that they must attend to, we just want to say a massive thank you to those who volunteer on behalf of Maricuri because you do it on behalf of us, as you do for everyone else in the country. Thank you very much. Many thanks. We now turn to the open debate speeches of around four minutes and I call Patricia Ferguson to be followed by David Torrance. I congratulate Linda Fabiani for securing this debate and add my welcome to her to all of the volunteers and I believe some staff who are able to be with us for this evening's debate and reception. It was a great privilege for me to attend the official opening of the new Maricuri hospice in Springburn following its completion in 2010, because many of us who live in the north of the city have reason to be grateful for the work of the Maricuri staff and for the services that they provide both at the hospice and in the community. Last year alone, there were 1,076 new referrals to the Glasgow hospice, but it occurred to me when I was researching for this debate that talking about 1,076 referrals or 146 outpatients really would not do justice to the approach of the Maricuri staff, so I thought we should look at it perhaps in another way. Put simply, the Maricuri organisation helps people at some of the most difficult times any family ever has to go through. Some people stay at the Maricuri centre and are looked after by a team of caring professionals who know exactly what is needed by that individual. This care includes help to manage pain, emotional and spiritual support, physiotherapy and complementary therapies. Those who do not need to stay in the hospice might access daycare, discuss their care needs or get help with their benefits. Others were cared for in their own homes, with support and care provided to them and to their loved ones. For the next year at least, a new service will also be available, the child and young people's bereavement support project. The project, funded by the Margo Young Foundation, will offer young people who have suffered a bereavement care and support. The foundation was established by Margo's son, Alan Young, because Margo sadly died when Alan was just 14, and he felt that he had little or no support at that time. The project has aimed at making the situation better for children who are bereaved in the future. It is an extremely important project and a fitting tribute to Margo Young. However, it is estimated that between 35 and 40,000 people who die each year could benefit from palliative care, but not everyone who needs it gets it. Indeed, eight out of 10 non-cancer patients with a terminal illness either do not get palliative care or access it very late in the development of their condition. That point chimes with what Linda Fabiani was saying about Marie Curie perhaps being associated mostly with cancer, and perhaps it is the idea that palliative care is something that happens with cancer patients, which of course is not just the case. I understand that the Scottish Government will publish a new strategy this spring, and that, of course, is to be welcomed. However, if it is to be helpful, it must focus on addressing those inequalities of care that Linda Fabiani spoke about. It must look at the inequalities in care across diseases and ensure that data is collected in a way that allows progress to be tracked and adjustments to be made. As we know, Marie Curie hospices care for people with a range of terminal illnesses such as cancer, dementia, motor neurone disease, heart disease and renal failure to name but a few. They do so with great care, great compassion and real professionalism. The Marie Curie hospices are funded by a combination of NHS funding and generous donations from the public, and that is why we are celebrating Daffodil week in this debate. I want to pay my own tribute to all those who fundraise for Marie Curie. The people who organise the ffets, arrange the dances, organise the marathons, the bingo nights and the bake sales, they all do a remarkable job. Last week, I had the opportunity to visit the Springburn Marie Curie shop. It is a lovely, bright and welcoming place, and it was truly inspiring to hear the manager, Caroline Castello, and her staff and volunteers talk so passionately about what they do and to see the excellent relationship that they have with their customers. The staff of the Marie Curie hospices do a marvellous job, and we can never thank them enough, but I am sure that they would be the first to say that they could not do their job without people like Caroline and her team of volunteers and staff, and everyone who raises money during Daffodil week and throughout the year. Let us hope that this year's fundraising is successful and allows the staff of the Marie Curie hospices to continue the great work that they have been doing in communities like mine for over 60 years. Many thanks. I now call David Torrance to be followed by Jamie McGregor. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I would like to thank Linda Fawiani for bringing this motion to the Parliament today, and I greatly appreciate the chance to speak about Marie Curie's great Daffodil appeal. I would also like to welcome her out of the centres and volunteers from Marie Curie. Marie Curie is a charity like no other. In 2014, it supported 7,400 terminally ill people in Scotland, even in their homes or in one of Marie Curie's hospices in Edinburgh or Glasgow. Because of her hard work throughout the year, I think that it is of great importance that we take time today to honour our achievements. Marie Curie aims to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time. The organisation is constantly working to improve services by involving patients and getting feedback from families who use their services. It has recently made £1 million available for research that aims to enhance communications around terminally illness, prognose on dying, bereavement and symptom control. Right place is often a patient's home, which is an environment that terminally ill usually feels most comfortable. In 2012, survey, 81 per cent of respondents stated that they would have preferred to die at home. However, only 23 per cent were able to do so. Supporting needs suffering from terminally illness is no easy task. Marie Curie takes pressure off carers and family members whilst aiming for high-quality care. This is a time when it is crucial not only to help and relieve the pain for those who are terminally ill, but to ensure that they are providing quality of end-of-life care. The future will also bring great demands with people who are expected to live longer with more complex illnesses. Marie Curie is constantly working to enhance its services within the organisation's strategic plan that aims to raise £20 million by 2020. She will invest substantial funds into research. The helper service, which provides terminally ill with companionship and emotional support, is now running in eight areas. Four more are projected in the future. Additionally, a new website, which is more easily accessible for patients, families and volunteers was launched in December last year. Of course, one of Marie Curie's biggest success is at annual Great Daffodil appeal. Last year, the country-wide campaign raised £8.26 million. The 2015 Daffodil appeal will be even bigger. Marie Curie aims to raise £8.7 million, which will amount to an additional £500,000 compared to 2014. Considering that, for every £20 collected, the organisation can provide one hour of nursing care to a patient. Those numbers are tremendous. However, it is important to remember that Marie Curie's work and the Great Daffodil appeal would not be possible without the dedicated help of many volunteers. This year, the organisation has set itself a target of recruiting 26,000 voluntary staff. Collector recruitment already started in January through social media channels, and volunteers are now able to register online with the help of a new campaign management software. Today, I also want to extend particular gratitude to all Marie Curie volunteers in my constituency of Cercodian Fife. At the 2014 Great Daffodil appeal, collectors from Perth Kingross Fife and Stilling raised an incredible £44,179, which allowed Marie Curie to care for 856 terminally ill in mid Scotland in Fife. Every March, it is my pleasure to join volunteers in their fundraising activities, and it is truly inspiring to see their titleist commitment. I am also looking forward to holding another tea party, as it did last year, to help raise funds for the organisation. In addition to this year's Great Daffodil appeal, Marie Curie has been selected as a charity to benefit from the Swimathon, world's biggest annual fundraising swimming event, which will take place in April. As of last week, 13,866 people have signed up throughout the UK to participate in this event. Earlier this year, I was fortunate to assist local Marie Curie fundraising coordinators in promoting the Swimathon, and I am positive that it will be a great success. Apart from these fantastic fundraising activities, the Helpers programme, which was launched in 2014 by the Minister for Public Health and Fife, now offers additional services to patients and their family. Terminal people are visited several hours a week by specially trained volunteers, who offers one-to-one support, ranging from helping with small tasks to making a cup of tea. Presiding Officer, I have talked about Marie Curie's remarkable accomplishments in Scotland, including my local whoever. However, I want to raise awareness of the work that is still necessary in order to meet the challenge of the future. People will live longer. 1.2 million people will surpass 90 years of age by 2033, and the number of people dying will increase by 5 per cent over the next 15 years. Siminitain will say that people will be faced with more complex illnesses. Goodness to these statistics, it must remain a priority to ensure that everyone receives the care that they deserve. Scotland, in partnership with organisations such as Marie Curie, needs to ensure that the terminally ill people, their families and loved ones, will continue to receive the care that they deserve and to use Marie Curie's words to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time. Lastly, I want to encourage all fellow Scots to wear a daffodol and show support for Marie Curie's invaluable services to her country. I thank you and I now call Jamie McGregor to be followed by Liam McArthur. Thank you very much. As a long-time patron of Marie Curie cancer care, I congratulate Linda Fabiani on securing today's debate, in which I am delighted to participate. I will remember the fun that I had a few years ago compiling a book of MSP's favourite recipes, which eventually raised some £18,000 for Marie Curie, and I never had any complaints about any of the recipes either, thank goodness. I'm pleased that our Parliament is taking the opportunity to highlight this month's annual daffodil appeal, and I encourage constituents to support it and wear their daffodils with pride. The money raised in 2014 appeal funded over 30,000 hours of nursing care and emotional support. I have a collection box in my office if anyone still needs a daffodil. It's also right that we pay tribute to the excellent work undertaken by Marie Curie's staff in Scotland, nurses, doctors, hospice staff, campaigners and policy staff, and commend all those volunteers and fundraisers who are the bedrock of the charity. Marie Curie's dedicated and caring nurses offer invaluable practical and emotional support to so many of our terminally ill constituents across the country and to their families and to their friends. In my region of the Highlands and Islands, in 2013-14, Marie Curie carried out 12,675 visits to 2,518 constituents with terminal illness. They are supporting sure that the vast majority of terminally ill patients in the Highlands and Islands were able to die in the place of their choice. I would obviously wish to support the charity so that it can help to ensure that every single patient is able to make that choice. Nurses in my region have the additional challenge of often covering very large geographical areas. Staff such as Marie Curie nurses Phyllis McCurdie, who does sterling work in Buton Cowell, or Nadine Archibald from Strathie, who works across Caithness and Sutherland, regularly travelling 100 miles for a shift. They are an example to us all. I am delighted that, in 2013, they both won a prestigious Peacock Nursing Award in the above and beyond category for always going that extra mile. Like other members, I too welcome Marie Curie's new strategy for 2014-19, which sets out plans to reach even more people living with terminal illness. This strategy deserves the backing of all MSPs and the Government. We need to face the reality that Marie Curie Cancer's care services are going to be needed more than ever in the future, as the number of people aged 75 and over is expected to increase by 86 per cent by 2037. Now, in previous debates, like today's, I've referred to the extraordinary bravery of Marie Curie herself and of course her husband, who were pioneers in the world of radiation, sacrificing their own lives so that others could benefit from the scientific advances that they developed. And it's right that Marie Curie's name lives on through the charity. It also lives on in the EU's Marie Klaudowska Curie research funding, which I note slightly to my horror from a recent European Committee briefing, faces a cut of 100 million euros. But having checked with Marie Curie cancer care, I am relieved that this EU funding stream will not affect Marie Curie cancer care's vital funded research. But it does seem a retrograde step that the EU is cutting back on support of research, when it is so important, not just to human health, but to the economy of the EU. Our investment in cutting edge medical research is crucial if the EU wants to maintain competitiveness in the face of international challenges from India and the Far East. Now, in conclusion, Presiding Officer, I'm delighted to take part in today's debate and I wish the great Daffodil appeal a record success in 2015 and encourage everyone to give generously to support the appeal and back the world-class efforts of our Marie Curie nurses. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. I thank my good friend, Linda Fabiani, for securing the debate. Importantly, I thank her for bringing to my attention that there may somewhere on the internet be a picture of the minister dressed as a Daffodil, and I will certainly be a way to look at YouTube later on. However, the timing of the debate is obviously very opportun. It allows us to acknowledge the phenomenal fundraising effort that goes in as part of the Daffodil appeal, which is so central to allowing Marie Curie to do what it does on behalf of those with terminal illness and indeed their families. I think that the briefing from Marie Curie suggests that, in 2014, the money raised in Scotland funded over 30,000 hours of nursing care and emotional support. It's been said already, but let me record my own personal thanks to Marie Curie, their staff and volunteers, many of whom are in the gallery, although I have to say that they all wondered in just as I was preparing to deliver my closing speech in the debate on mental health. For a moment there, I thought that I may have been more of a crowd pooler than I am generally given credit for. However, the work that they do nationally, regionally and locally is something that really deserves credit and our gratitude. Colleagues will be aware of my support for the assisted dying bill. That came up in the previous debate on mental health. It's worth putting on record. I have always made clear that I do not see any contradiction between my support for that bill and my absolute commitment to ensuring that we invest properly and progressively in palliative care. It is not an either or situation. I'm conscious that debates like this can cover a lot of the same ground, so let me hastily retreat to my constituency and describe what is happening locally in Orkney, where Marie Curie is a relatively recent arrival. The challenges that they face are significant. There is an ageing population, as there is everywhere else, but particularly so in the islands. There is the complex illnesses and the complexity of delivering those services across a dispersed island population. They are dealing with the challenge again, faced everywhere of perception, where I think that there still is a bit of a lag effect in understanding that this goes beyond simply the treatment of those affected by cancer. I am delighted to see Dr Andy Trevitt and the strongness practice taking a lead delivering this alongside their colleagues in the Doombie practice through the west mainland of Orkney. The patient numbers are relatively small, but the impact already has been significant. The feedback from patients and their families has been hugely positive to date. The support from the wider community, reflecting what we are seeing at a national level, has been unbelievable. Last year, £21,000 was raised in Orkney, representing more than £1 for every man, woman and child in the constituency. Major contributors, which I would like to acknowledge, are Giffy Leslie and the West Entotel through the production of the Sound of Music and the Vintage Car Rally, but there are many, and it is perhaps invidious to draw out just those two examples. However, I would also want to record my thanks to the efforts of Barbara Todd. I had a missed call earlier during the debates this afternoon, which suggests that she might not have been able to make it down from Orkney, which I think would be a real shame indeed. Her efforts in supporting that group of volunteers and making the case for rolling out maricuri services in Orkney has been truly phenomenal. Discussions are on-going with NHS Orkney about a possible roll-out. I know that that is not straightforward, and the board will wish to be reassured about the impact on other services. The work that has already been done demonstrates the value, and I would hope that progress can be made there. In conclusion, I congratulate Linda Fabiani once again for my thanks and gratitude to all the maricuri nurses, staff and volunteers whom I look forward to meeting later on this evening at the reception. I thank them for the truly wonderful work that they do to allow people to die with dignity and the place of their choice. I now call Rhoda Grant to be followed by George Adam. I congratulate Linda Fabiani for securing this debate that marks the start of the great Daffodil appeal and also pays tribute to the work of maricuri. Maricuri care provides care at home or in one of its hospices to more than five and a half thousand patients suffering from terminal illnesses in Scotland. I have seen first-hand the wonderful work that they do supporting family members and looking after terminally ill relatives. That is something that I and my family are very, very grateful for. I want to use my time in the debate tonight to highlight the need for palliative care to be available and accessible to everyone with a terminal illness. Palliative care is not included in the Scottish Government's 2020 vision for health, and it is important that we get that included as soon as possible, because too many people are dying in hospital almost 50 per cent of them, which in many cases is an inappropriate place for them to die. It is really sad that people who are in the last weeks or months of their lives are in a hospital ward when they should actually be at home or in a homely setting with their family and loved ones around them, living these last days to the foe and savouring every minute. We also need to provide good quality palliative care throughout our communities, especially in rural areas, and it is difficult to access such care if you are away from core services unless a lot of thought is put into how that can be delivered. I know that maricuri does support that ambition and also helps to design rural services. It is important that services meet the needs of patients and are deliverable where they live. It is also important to acknowledge the work of community nurses and GPs in remote communities, because they are often at the forefront of delivering this type of care, and in many cases work very hard to support people at home. However, it should not be delivered in a way that is dependent on the goodwill of those dedicated staff. They need flexible backup to assist them to provide those services, and that is something that maricuri does provide. Research has shown that 65 per cent of those suffering from a terminal illness would prefer to die in their own home, but only 25 per cent do currently. Palliative care at home is often not seen as an option for many terminally ill patients. There is an urgent need to consider new and improved models of care, especially for those living in rural and scattered communities. All over Scotland, too many people are receiving palliative care packages far too late, and usually within the last eight weeks of their lives. As Patricia Ferguson said, as many as eight out of 10 people who have a non-cancer terminal illness do not receive any palliative care at all, maricuri care provides care to as many terminally ill people as possible. Therefore, we need to support the great Daffodil appeal and help them to continue this valuable work. However, we also need to work with them to design palliative care services in every community. We should aspire to deliver high-quality palliative care to everyone with a terminal illness. I thank Linda Fabiani for bringing this debate. I recognise the great work of maricuri and their volunteers, whom we can see here in numbers tonight. I want to speak in this in a couple of reasons. One is a very personal one, and the other one, if you indulge me, is a very paisley-centric reason. When it comes to fundraising, nobody does it better. Linda Fabiani, this is my debate, and it is East Kilbride that is up there tonight. Along with the representatives from Scotland's largest town, Paisley, as well. My personal reasons for wanting to speak on it is that my mum died of cancer-related illness a couple of years ago, and it may be shows that I am a but was, I am and will always be a bit of a mami's boy. Traditionally, as we have already said, maricuri supports families like mine, and they did in this case because the whole idea was for my mum to have her last days in her space in the world, her house, her things, her family around about her, and unfortunately for us things moved on a bit faster, but the fact that we had that opportunity and families get that opportunity to spend that time in their own wee place in the world makes all the difference. I will never forget the conversation that we had when the doctors said that she was dying. They actually said, we said, mum, you're dying. The first thing that she said was, when am I getting home, son? That's all she wanted to do, is to go back to her place. However, the support offered by charities like the maricuri is obviously extremely important to families throughout Scotland. One of the other things that I wanted to talk about here as well was that I mentioned about the fundraising, and it's about the people involved in the fundraising. Daffodil days or weaker, the fundraising efforts, is just one of the many things that happen throughout the country all the time, and only a couple of weeks ago I actually did a fire walk, Presiding Officer. I walked over fire, I've not quite got as far as water yet, but fire's okay, but what we did during that event was we actually seen everyone there together. All the people involved, people whose families had used the services of maricuri raising funds and ensuring that they could make that difference to get that extra bit of money. Now, so far from that one event, there's been £9,000 raised for that fire walk. I know that the people from the representatives of maricuri and paisley are here probably to chase me up for my money, because as of yet, I haven't actually given them all, so I will be getting around everyone here in this chamber tonight to try and ensure that they give me something for my sponsorship for the time that I spent walking on fire, because it was quite difficult. One of the things that I actually said, which was quite funny, was in the event, was the guy that did the event said, George, he said, you could tell you've done it before, he says, because you started taking your time as you walked over fire. That's quite dangerous, don't do that again. It just shows you all the funny events that are done throughout the country and the money that's raised. I say that this maricuri politics, everything is about people. It's about people raising funds for their charities, about people using the maricuri services and people becoming aware of the many issues that are involved. It's people like Lynn Wilson, Julie Maguire and Jane Evans from paisley, who are part of that group who have only been going since August 2012 and have already raised £47,000 for this charity. That shows you the level of commitment that people who have, yes, some of them had to have members of their family who have had to use the services. That shows you the commitment and what people want to do to give back at this time of need as well. One of the important things that maricuri brings up in their briefing paper was that we have to discuss as a nation how we deal with pallative care and how we actually talk about death. When it comes to that very difficult time, when someone tells you that a member of your family is terminally ill, we have to have that discussion and see what we do. It's okay for me to sit here and say that my mum's first thing was just to get back home, but we have to make sure that she was almost kidding herself on that it wasn't true, it wasn't happening. We have to deal with all that and make sure that we have the support mechanisms there, like maricuri and others, for families to be able to do that. I'm quite happy to congratulate maricuri on all the efforts that they've been doing, and I'm very proud to be debating this here today. I'm also very proud of my colleagues from Paisley, who have raised so much money and are so committed to this cause. Can I now invite Maureen Watt to respond to the debate, minister, in around seven minutes, please? Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, and I'm pleased to be closing this very interesting and light-hearted in parts debate. I thank Linda Fabiani for bringing it to the chamber this evening and for maricuri, for having the stall in the member's lobby and, indeed, for the reception later on this evening to allow MSPs to learn more about the work that they do. I'd like to add my welcome to the people in the gallery this evening from maricuri cancer care, who play such a pivotal role in all the community settings across Scotland, working in partnership with people and their families in the final stages of their lives to provide person-centred, safe and effective care. For maricuri, events such as the Great Daffodil Appeal are key to raising funds, and a major part this month of March is their Daffodil Appeal to raise funds to continue to provide that care for families across Scotland, who need support at a very difficult time. Maricuri is the major part of their fundraising, but, as Jamie McGregor reminded us, I hadn't forgotten the recipe book, but I had forgotten that the funds were raised for maricuri. I hadn't known that George Adam had been fire-walking to raise funds for maricuri, and I note that one of the other fundraising events is Trek Cambodia. I noticed that Linda hasn't asked me to join her on that, but maybe it's because George Adam is going to undertake that as his next fundraising event. I'd like to thank the thousands of volunteers across Scotland who raise funds. I was in Stogpill hospital on Monday of this week, and there in the foye, there were some grandparents with their grandchildren badgering people for funds. It's all people across Scotland who raise funds, and all members have taken the opportunity to mention the fundraising and services in their constituency. I would like to recognise my local fundraiser, Caroline Stedden, who is the community fundraiser for maricuri in the office based in Aberdeen, who did badger me, as Linda Fabiani said, to spend an afternoon fundraising at Asdown Port Lethan. We raised a fair amount of money for that afternoon's work. I will send Liam McArthur the link to show me in my daffodal hat at that event. As Linda Fabiani mentioned, the Scottish Government's 2020 vision for health and social care will ensure that the Scottish Government's commitment to high quality palliative and end-of-life care for all is clear. The need for a clear shared vision on the future of palliative care and end-of-life care is widely agreed by all the stakeholders, the Scottish Government, NHS boards and the range of stakeholders in end-of-life and palliative care. Moving forward, we have established a new national advisory structure, refreshed stakeholder engagement and detailed plans to support our commitment to publish a strategic framework for action. That will focus on future priorities to ensure high quality palliative and end-of-life care for everyone in Scotland, linked more clearly to our 2020 vision for health and social care and reflect our commitment to quality measurement and improvement. It is for this reason that we have agreed to the national advisory group's request to extend the process in support of our strategic framework for action, allowing for a further focused period of dialogue and consultation and a final framework being approved by the end of this year. We want to achieve improvement by working with people. We want to develop services that are founded on a joint agreement about what is needed and it is important that the people of Scotland understand where we are going and why. That is why the Scottish Government is dedicated to working with clinical and care professionals and the third sector and people with direct experience, like people in maricuri cancer care, who have direct experience of the issues that matter most when time becomes shorter due to a diagnosis of an incurable condition. The strategic framework for action will provide a concrete platform that will focus on palliative and end-of-life care and create the settings for continuous improvement. The Scottish Government's ambition is to ensure that all services are co-produced with the communities that they serve, build on people's assets and support the health and wellbeing of the whole person and their family. Patricia Ferguson was right to mention the children and young persons support services that are so crucially needed by many families. I am glad to see that there is that in Glasgow and that it needs to be rolled out and available throughout Scotland. I should also mention the integration of health and social care and the legislative changes that we have introduced with regards to the integration of health and social care, set in place a new framework of how services are organised, and that will be central to the provision of palliative and end-of-life care. We are working closely with acute and community health services, social work services and the third sector, including maricuri, to ensure that we get the best, get the right balance for the provision of palliative and end-of-life care. In taking forward this ambitious approach, we fully recognise that we need to address the taboo that exists in Scotland about discussing the issues around death and dying. We are supportive of the good work that is being undertaken around people being able to talk about death and dealing with related issues in a constructive way and not simply avoiding the difficult conversations. Achieving this vision will prevent unnecessary suffering and financial and practical complications associated with dying and testate, for example, the absence of advanced care planning, leading to inappropriate admissions, futile and distressing medical interventions, the isolation of the very ill and bereaved when people are uncomfortable about what to see. We recognise that most people want to plan care to support them to be at home with their families at the end of their lives. Anticipatory care planning is now central to health and care in Scotland and growing through its inclusion within new quality indicators in the GP contract. In working together with organisations like maricuri, we have made great progress in the provision of palliative and end-of-life care. However, we cannot be complacent and we recognise that more needs to be done. We remain committed to delivering high-quality palliative end-of-life care in Scotland. I am sure that the Daffodil appeal this year will be an even greater success than last year and that maricuri services will continue to work with us in partnership to ensure that anyone who requires it gets the high-quality end-of-life care, something that I am sure that everyone in the chamber agrees with, something that is not only required but truly deserved. Many thanks minister. That concludes Linda Fabiani's debate on maricuri's 2015 great Daffodil appeal. I now close this meeting of Parliament.