Parliament Workbench

Petition · PE01463 · Session 4

Effective thyroid and adrenal testing, diagnosis and treatment

Closed Submitted 18 Dec 2012 Health
Signatures
3
Comments
0
Considered
29 meetings
in the Official Report

What it asks

Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to take action to ensure GPs and endocrinologists are able to accurately diagnose thyroid and adrenal disorders and provide the most appropriate treatment.

What the petitioner did first

Elaine Smith MSP 17/11/2010 Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1. During this debate Elaine quotes:
'Dr Anthony Toft, a world-renowned and highly respected Scottish endocrinologist, believes that it is of prime importance that GPs consider how patients present, rather than simply accepting the results of blood tests. He suggests that doctors should take a whole-picture approach that takes into consideration all the patient's symptoms and does not rely totally on tests. That is important in the case of a lack of T3. In such a circumstance, the tests show that the T4 is fine, and the GP will insist that there is nothing wrong with the patient's thyroid function when, in fact, they are gravely ill and is getting progressively worse'.
Because Dr Toft’s opinion supported our argument, it prompted us to contact Elaine Smith MSP to arrange a meeting which took place 27/03/2012. Elaine Smith MSP mentioned that she will focus on the thyroid disorders within the Patients’ Rights Bill.
Scottish Parliament Meeting 27/03/2012 Sandra Whyte met with Elaine Smith MSP. Representatives from Thyroid Patient Advocacy, invited by the petitioners, were in attendance. Margaret McGregor (Thyroid UK) and Brian Cooney were also present. Sandra suggested that this lack of acknowledgement, testing and treatment regarding the T4-T3 conversion problem by medical professionals is against our Human Rights. Elaine asked Brian Cooney to investigate. Elaine made it clear she wanted to take this debate further and suggested we have a further meeting. She also suggested we submit a petition. Sandra agreed to do this as she and Marian had already instigated action on this subject in Scotland.
To highlight that this is not just a Scottish problem, we contacted ‘Thyroid Change’ a World Movement to effect positive change in the outdated, ineffective and, frequently, dangerous adherence to the T4-only policy. It has members from 125 different countries and they fully support and endorse this petition.
2/8/12 Meeting with James Dornan MSP’s assistant. Lorraine Cleaver met with Stewart McDonald to discuss the problems thyroid patients have obtaining appropriate medication and was advised to submit a petition to the Scottish Parliament.

Where it was considered

Official Report
  1. 5 Feb 2013
    1 mention
  2. 16 Apr 2013
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  3. 28 May 2013
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  4. 25 Jun 2013
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petition
    1 mention
  5. 17 Sep 2013
    Public Petitions Committee
    Witness Expenses
    1 mention
  6. 1 Oct 2013
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petition
    1 mention
  7. 18 Feb 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  8. 20 May 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  9. 30 Sep 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  10. 25 Nov 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petition
    1 mention
  11. 9 Dec 2014
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  12. 1 Dec 2015
    Public Petitions Committee
    Current Petitions
    1 mention
  13. 9 Feb 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  14. 1 Mar 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  15. 30 Jun 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  16. 29 Sep 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  17. 8 Dec 2016
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  18. 19 Jan 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Decision on Taking Business in Private
    1 mention
  19. 15 Jun 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  20. 21 Sep 2017
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  21. 22 Nov 2017
    Meeting of the Parliament
    Thyroid Conditions
    4 mentions
  22. 13 Sep 2018
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  23. 14 Nov 2018
    Meeting of the Parliament
    Business Motions
    1 mention
  24. 21 Nov 2018
    Meeting of the Parliament
    Business Motion
    1 mention
  25. 28 Nov 2018
    Meeting of the Parliament
    Business Motions
    1 mention
  26. 4 Dec 2018
    Meeting of the Parliament
    Thyroid and Adrenal Testing, Diagnosis and Treatment
    5 mentions
  27. 7 Feb 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  28. 6 Jun 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention
  29. 26 Sep 2019
    Public Petitions Committee
    Continued Petitions
    1 mention

Signatures by country

No online signatures are recorded for this petition; the total above may include paper signatures.

Comments

No public comments.