Jean Turner

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Jean Turner

|honorific-suffix =

|image =

|constituency_MP = Strathkelvin and Bearsden

|parliament = Scottish

|majority =

|term_start = 1 May 2003

|term_end = 2 April 2007

|predecessor = Brian Fitzpatrick

|successor = David Whitton

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1939|12|23|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

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|nationality =Scottish

|party = Independent

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|residence =

|alma_mater =University of Aberdeen

|occupation =

|profession = medical doctor

|cabinet =

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}}

Jean McGivern Turner (born 23 December 1939) is a Scottish medical doctor and former Independent politician. She was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency from 2003 until 2007.

Early life and education

Turner was born in Glagow on 23 December 1939. She attended Hillhead High School before going on to study medicine at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with an MBChB in 1965.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}}

Career

=Medical career=

After qualifying as a doctor, she worked as an anaesthetist registrar at the Southern General Hospital,{{cite news |url=http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/new-post-for-former-msp-1-358623 |title=New post for former MSP |work=Kirkintilloch Herald |date=1 August 2007 |access-date=9 July 2017}} then for 25 years as a general practitioner in the Springburn area in Glasgow.{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12243141.Kindly_GP_terrifies_the_opposition_Independent_candidate_apos_s_bedside_manner_proves_a_winner_on_the_stump_in_forgotten_by_election/ |title=Kindly GP terrifies the opposition Independent candidate's bedside manner proves a winner on the stump in forgotten by-election |work=The Herald |location=Glasgow |date=7 June 2001 |access-date=9 July 2017}}{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/1378635.stm |title=Hospital campaign shakes by-election |publisher=BBC News |date=8 June 2001 |access-date=4 November 2012}}{{Cite book|title=Turner, Jean Mcgiven|work=Who's who|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2017}}

In August 2007, she was appointed as chief executive of the Scotland Patients Association.

=Political career=

In 2001, a range of services at Stobhill Hospital were under threat and a "Save Stobhill" campaign had emerged. In March 2001 the constituency MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Sam Galbraith announced his resignation for health reasons, triggering a in the Strathkelvin and Bearsden Holyrood by-election of 2001. By April 44,000 had signed a petition.{{cite news|url=http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/one-year-on-our-save-stobhill-campaign-is-as-strong-as-ever-1-360395 |title=One year on, our Save Stobhill campaign is as strong as ever |work=Kirkintilloch Herald |date=3 January 2002 |access-date=9 July 2017}} At the age of 61, having recently retired as a general practitioner, Turner entered the by-election as the independent "Save Stobhill" candidate. In that race, she finished second with 7,572 votes or 18%. She also campaigned against Labour's treatment of the NHS.{{citation needed|date=July 2017}}

In October 2002, she confirmed that she would stand as candidate at the elections the following year.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/doctor-set-to-contest-labour-seat-1-623634 |title=Doctor set to contest Labour seat |work=The Scotsman |date=7 October 2002 |access-date=3 July 2017}} In the 2003 Scottish parliamentary elections, she stood again in Strathkelvin and Bearsden on the same platform she used in 2001.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2305661.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=GP in hospitals election fight | date=7 October 2002}} This time, Turner won the seat with 10,988 votes or 31%.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/2994313.stm |title=UK | Scotland | Independents head to Holyrood |publisher=BBC News |date=2 May 2003 |access-date=4 November 2012}} She finished ahead of Labour's Brian Fitzpatrick, who was previously head of policy in Donald Dewar's policy unit.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/campaigning-doctor-stuns-labour-1-646396 |title=Campaigning doctor stuns Labour |work=The Scotsman |date=2 May 2003 |access-date=3 July 2017}}

She sat on the Health Committee during her time as a MSP.{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.scot/msps/30545.aspx |title=Previous MSPs: Session 2 (2003-2007): Jean Turner |publisher=Scottish Parliament |access-date=3 July 2017}}

In February 2007, Turner announced she would stand for re-election at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election,{{cite news |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12757090.Independent_MSP_Turner_to_stand_again/ |title=Independent MSP Turner to stand again |first=Robbie |last=Dinwoodie |work=The Herald |date=12 February 2007 |access-date=3 July 2017}} but lost her seat to the Labour candidate, David Whitton.{{cite news |url=http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/labour-reclaim-strathkelvin-and-bearsden-1-358409 |title=Labour reclaim Strathkelvin and Bearsden |work=Kirkintilloch Herald |date=4 May 2007 |access-date=9 July 2017}}