Calls have been made for unused wards at the Vale of Leven Hospital to help “tackle the worst NHS winter crisis in living memory.”
Non-urgent elective procedures across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have been cancelled, and the A&E department at the Royal Alexandra Hospital recorded its worst-ever waiting time figures, with just 42.4 percent of patients being seen within the Scottish Government’s own target time of four hours.
Now Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie has called for wards at the Vale of Leven Hospital to be used to clear some of the backlog.
She said: “Scotland is now in the midst of the worst NHS winter crisis in living memory – for which this SNP government is solely responsible.
“For months, Scottish Labour warned of the potential winter NHS crisis 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.
“A year ago, I challenged Humza Yousaf on the use of current vacant wards within the Vale of Leven Hospital to clear some of the backlogs. Despite him welcoming this possibility, nothing has happened, and the crisis has become even worse.
“The result of SNP inaction and incompetence is that the lives of Scots are being put in danger on a weekly basis.
“This week alone, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has cancelled non-elective procedures, affecting people in Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven and Helensburgh, and the emergency department where they attend has recorded its worst waiting times on record.
“This cannot go on. Humza Yousaf must go and make way for a Health Secretary that will act.”
In an exchange between the Labour MSP and the Health Secretary on the subject Humza Yousaf said: “I expect there to be an improvement once we move people from these acute sites to these interim beds.
“So, we expect that to be in the short term and, hopefully, as we begin to see the levels of flu and Covid abate and reduce, then hopefully we will begin to see an improvement in our health service and in the performance indicators that she references.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We will increase NHS24 staffing to help cope with rises in demand and procure 300 additional care home beds to help alleviate pressures causes by delayed discharge.”
An NHSGGC spokesperson said: “We welcome the additional measures announced recently and we will continue to work with the Scottish Government, local Health and Social Care Partnerships and our colleagues in Primary Care to deliver the best possible quality of care for the people of Greater Glasgow and Clyde.”
