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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Nicola Sturgeon chairs emergency meeting on NHS winter pressures | Nicola Sturgeon chairs emergency meeting on NHS winter pressures |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Nicola Sturgeon has chaired the Scottish government's resilience committee | Nicola Sturgeon has chaired the Scottish government's resilience committee |
| Nicola Sturgeon has chaired a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee to address pressures on health and social care services. | Nicola Sturgeon has chaired a meeting of the Scottish government's resilience committee to address pressures on health and social care services. |
| The first minister and key cabinet ministers met NHS board chiefs, local authorities and the Scottish Ambulance Service on Friday. | The first minister and key cabinet ministers met NHS board chiefs, local authorities and the Scottish Ambulance Service on Friday. |
| The meeting took place as Covid rates soared and after hospital admissions for flu hit a five-year high. | The meeting took place as Covid rates soared and after hospital admissions for flu hit a five-year high. |
| Scottish Labour called for the Army to be drafted in to help the NHS. | Scottish Labour called for the Army to be drafted in to help the NHS. |
| The committee, which included Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, discussed the latest Covid-19 situation, the flu outbreak and increased demands on acute sites and social care which have been experienced over the festive period. | The committee, which included Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, discussed the latest Covid-19 situation, the flu outbreak and increased demands on acute sites and social care which have been experienced over the festive period. |
| Health service pressure in Dumfries and Galloway to last for weeks | Health service pressure in Dumfries and Galloway to last for weeks |
| Lanarkshire GP surgeries to open on Saturdays to ease pressure | Lanarkshire GP surgeries to open on Saturdays to ease pressure |
| A&E patients in Scotland enduring 'inhumane' conditions | A&E patients in Scotland enduring 'inhumane' conditions |
| The NHS has come under unprecedented pressure in recent weeks. | The NHS has come under unprecedented pressure in recent weeks. |
| Earlier this week leading clinician Dr John Paul Loughrey, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said several of Scotland's A&E departments had asked for emergency measures to be brought in. | Earlier this week leading clinician Dr John Paul Loughrey, of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said several of Scotland's A&E departments had asked for emergency measures to be brought in. |
| This followed concerns about patient safety and "inhumane" conditions due to high hospital occupancy rates. | This followed concerns about patient safety and "inhumane" conditions due to high hospital occupancy rates. |
| Dr Loughrey said around 50 deaths per week were happening in Scotland as a result of delays to emergency care. | Dr Loughrey said around 50 deaths per week were happening in Scotland as a result of delays to emergency care. |
| Latest figures for A&E departments showed a record 1,925 Scots spent 12 hours or more waiting in the week leading up to Christmas. | Latest figures for A&E departments showed a record 1,925 Scots spent 12 hours or more waiting in the week leading up to Christmas. |
| There are also reports of lengthy waits to get through to helpline NHS 24 and difficulties getting a GP appointment. | There are also reports of lengthy waits to get through to helpline NHS 24 and difficulties getting a GP appointment. |
| On Friday, NHS Borders paused all routine operations until further notice. | On Friday, NHS Borders paused all routine operations until further notice. |
| The health board said Borders General Hospital was at capacity, with high staff absence due to illness and numerous wards and bays closed due to Norovirus outbreaks, Covid and flu. | The health board said Borders General Hospital was at capacity, with high staff absence due to illness and numerous wards and bays closed due to Norovirus outbreaks, Covid and flu. |
| Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie urged the Scottish government to ask for military assistance for ambulance services and accident and emergency departments. | Scottish Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie urged the Scottish government to ask for military assistance for ambulance services and accident and emergency departments. |
| 'NHS chaos' | 'NHS chaos' |
| Ministers previously called in the Army to help during the pandemic, with soldiers being brought in to drive ambulances in 2021. | Ministers previously called in the Army to help during the pandemic, with soldiers being brought in to drive ambulances in 2021. |
| Ms Baillie said: "For months, Scottish Labour warned of potential winter NHS chaos and offered solutions that would support staff and patients - but Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon stuck their fingers in their ears and simply ignored everyone, including clinicians. | Ms Baillie said: "For months, Scottish Labour warned of potential winter NHS chaos and offered solutions that would support staff and patients - but Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon stuck their fingers in their ears and simply ignored everyone, including clinicians. |
| "The result of SNP inaction and incompetence is the lives of thousands of Scots being put in danger on a weekly basis." | "The result of SNP inaction and incompetence is the lives of thousands of Scots being put in danger on a weekly basis." |
| The party wants A&E departments to be properly staffed and for action to be taken on delayed discharge - where patients who are medically well enough to leave hospital have to remain while they wait for care packages to be put in place. | The party wants A&E departments to be properly staffed and for action to be taken on delayed discharge - where patients who are medically well enough to leave hospital have to remain while they wait for care packages to be put in place. |
| 'Everyone is getting frustrated' | 'Everyone is getting frustrated' |
| Pharmcist Jannath Nilma tries to help patients who cannot see their GPs | Pharmcist Jannath Nilma tries to help patients who cannot see their GPs |
| Jannath Nilma is a pharmacy manager at Rosemount Pharmacy in Aberdeen. | Jannath Nilma is a pharmacy manager at Rosemount Pharmacy in Aberdeen. |
| Patients are being referred to pharmacies and she has been facing unprecedented demand from people with winter illnesses. | Patients are being referred to pharmacies and she has been facing unprecedented demand from people with winter illnesses. |
| "It is quite tough because I think everybody is just getting frustrated," she said. | "It is quite tough because I think everybody is just getting frustrated," she said. |
| "When we can't help them, they say 'well we've been told to come to you guys, what else am I meant to do now?' | "When we can't help them, they say 'well we've been told to come to you guys, what else am I meant to do now?' |
| "So we are trying to get in touch with doctors for people if we need to refer them. | "So we are trying to get in touch with doctors for people if we need to refer them. |
| "We are trying to do as much as we can, but sometimes we struggle as well. | "We are trying to do as much as we can, but sometimes we struggle as well. |
| "A lot of people don't realise that we have the same number for GPs and hospital as they do, so we are in the same sort of queue. | "A lot of people don't realise that we have the same number for GPs and hospital as they do, so we are in the same sort of queue. |
| "There has been a lot of frustration definitely with how busy it has been and we're trying to work through that." | "There has been a lot of frustration definitely with how busy it has been and we're trying to work through that." |
| The Scottish government said a number of measures were being taken to alleviate pressures on the system and make sure patients were getting care in the right places. | The Scottish government said a number of measures were being taken to alleviate pressures on the system and make sure patients were getting care in the right places. |
| These include the use of flow navigation centres, the hospital at home service and ambulance staff providing treatment to help avoid admission to hospital. | These include the use of flow navigation centres, the hospital at home service and ambulance staff providing treatment to help avoid admission to hospital. |
| The health secretary is to update parliament at the earliest opportunity and further resilience meetings will take place in the coming days. | The health secretary is to update parliament at the earliest opportunity and further resilience meetings will take place in the coming days. |
| 'Incredibly grateful' | 'Incredibly grateful' |
| Ms Sturgeon said: "It is clear that health and social care is currently experiencing a period of intense and indeed unprecedented pressure. | Ms Sturgeon said: "It is clear that health and social care is currently experiencing a period of intense and indeed unprecedented pressure. |
| "Staff are working exceptionally hard and have been doing so throughout the Christmas and New Year period. This comes after nearly three years of pandemic-related demands on the system, and we are all incredibly grateful to them for their efforts. | "Staff are working exceptionally hard and have been doing so throughout the Christmas and New Year period. This comes after nearly three years of pandemic-related demands on the system, and we are all incredibly grateful to them for their efforts. |
| "I am clear that the Scottish government must and will do everything it can to support our health and care service throughout the next few weeks." | "I am clear that the Scottish government must and will do everything it can to support our health and care service throughout the next few weeks." |
| The first minister said there was "a huge amount of work being done" and that she would leave "no stone unturned" to explore and implement additional measures. | The first minister said there was "a huge amount of work being done" and that she would leave "no stone unturned" to explore and implement additional measures. |
| Ms Sturgeon also said plans included action to reduce unnecessary attendances at A&E and to improve discharge arrangements to reduce pressure on hospital occupancy. | Ms Sturgeon also said plans included action to reduce unnecessary attendances at A&E and to improve discharge arrangements to reduce pressure on hospital occupancy. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| A&E | A&E |
| Scotland health | Scotland health |
| Scotland | Scotland |
| Nicola Sturgeon | Nicola Sturgeon |
| NHS Scotland | NHS Scotland |
| Flu | Flu |
| Humza Yousaf | Humza Yousaf |