The third sector plays a vital role in fighting the devastating effects of loneliness. Now the issue must take centre stage on the public health agenda,says convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee, Margaret McCulloch MSP

When the Equal Opportunities Committee began its inquiry into loneliness and social isolation and its effect on older and young people, we were appalled to learn just how bound up social isolation and loneliness are with long-term conditions and chronic illness.

Estimated to be as bad for people’s health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, loneliness can increase the risk of death by almost 10 per cent. A recent 2006 study of 3,000 women with breast cancer found women without close friends were four times more likely to die than women with 10 or more friends.

But we were also told it doesn’t have to be like this. The right support at the right time can have a dramatic, positive effect on loneliness.

In her evidence to the Committee, Sandra Stuart of Glasgow Disability Alliance quoted a woman with complex health issues who had undergone a leg amputation - “I’ve got carers coming in so I am up, dressed and ready to go nowhere by 9am.

"It’s so frustrating that I can’t get help to go out and do stuff.” With support from GDA the woman is learning to drive and attends a range of programmes and courses. Ms Stuart described how, “Instead of getting up and putting on clean pyjamas, she now has a full diary.”

Michelle McCrindle of charity Food Train told the Committee that social isolation and loneliness need not be lifelong conditions. “People in their late 90s come to our befriending groups. They thought that their lives were over. They are on their own because their partners have died, and they have been grieving for a while.

Their lives have been deteriorating and they have hardly been out of the door for four or five years, but they discover a whole new life because somebody is there to take the first steps with them and encourage them to come along and give things a try.”

We cannot ignore social isolation. The health impact in Scotland is too great. We must support voluntary organisations making significant progress in tackling the problem.

Loneliness must become a priority alongside poverty and poor housing on the public health agenda.

‘Social prescribing’ could be key. The Royal College of General Practitioners told us about a pilot project where GPs signpost patients to local support services.

It found that patients were more likely to make contact with a group if their GP had provided clear information about it. At the start of the project, half of patients accepted a signposting recommendation from their GP. Six months later, this had jumped to 80%.

But the Committee believes more must be done. We are urging the Scottish Government to adopt a national social isolation strategy to tackle social isolation and produce a nationwide publicity campaign to raise awareness and help reduce the shame and stigma often associated with ‘admitting to loneliness’.

These are crucial ways we can tackle loneliness and make a positive difference for the future health of Scotland.