Two UK hospitals were close to collapse last week with nearly 30 ambulances left queuing outside busy A&E departments.
It comes as many hospitals around the United Kingdom face enormous pressure due to a busy winter period, leaving patients with long wait times.
Just last week two Glasgow hospitals - Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital - were on a knife edge with some patients being treated in corridors, GlasgowLive reports.
On Thursday, 27 ambulances were seen queuing outside Glasgow Royal Infirmary, while at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital 64 patients were crammed into one unit with just 28 beds.
Many emergency department medics have called for critical incidents to be declared at the hospital but nothing has been said yet, prompting health bosses to be described as being "too scared".
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has been urged by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) leaders to allow health boards to declare a "critical status" emergency in the NHS.
Doing so would allow them to target resources at under-pressure locations, such as A&E wards.
Scottish RCEM leader Dr John-Paul Loughrey claims the crisis is worsening every day, with admin offices being used at some locations for patients.
He said: “Many hospitals have more patients in wards than beds - a number of health boards are using every available space. Some patients are being treated in relatives rooms or in office space.
"We haven’t had a hospital declare critical incident status in Scotland yet but I know three or four hospitals who have been having these discussions. We discussed this when we met with the Health Secretary on Wednesday and encouraged him to empower health boards to make that decision if required.”
Dr John-Paul Loughrey has urged for a critical incident to be called so senior staff from other specialities can help manage the growing number of patients.
It would also mean "lower acuity patients" could be asked to leave the hospital and come back later and ambulances would divert from a particular hospital.
He added: “This would mean, for example, rather than 20 extra patients in the emergency department, 20 wards could be asked to take one extra patient which would arguably be better.
"It does carry some risk of a shortage of staff in the aftermath, but some hospitals with a very acute problem need to escalate to that status and take that risk. Ambulances should spend 15 minutes at hospital, but that is rare now.
“And patients can be spending 24-48 hours on trollies in emergency departments. It is impossible to function efficiently when the department is under so much pressure. It is not ideal for long-term care, particularly for the elderly who have had falls or who have delirium.
"We use a four-hour-safety standard in emergency departments to make sure patients flow into the system in time but after five or six hours there is increased risk of harm or even death.
“The four-hour standard is the standard, we never want emergency departments to end up counting in days rather than hours.”
One nurse told the Daily Record : “Glasgow Royal Infirmary - burst. 27 ambulances waiting outside. Patients being treated in corridors in A&E. Senior management too scared to declare a critical incident.”
While another from the QEUH hospital said: “I’m at the Immediate Assessment Unit that has 28 beds. Currently there are 64 patients in the unit. It is a receiving unit for people sent in by a GP in an ambulance or their own transport.
“They have drafted in staff from the operating theatres to deal with patients. Management are flapping.”
A NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokesman said: “Our services, like the whole of NHS Scotland, are facing major pressures including significant covid, flu and norovirus cases and our staff are doing all they can to meet this demand.
“Waiting times can fluctuate on an hourly basis and NHSGGC is taking a number of actions to support our A&E departments and our assessment units at this time including recruiting staff as available and creating additional inpatient capacity.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recently announced a number of measures to alleviate pressures on the system.
She 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.
“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. We will leave no stone unturned to explore and implement any additional measures that could be taken to help alleviate pressures.
“This will include actions to reduce unnecessary attendances at A&E - ensuring people get care in more appropriate settings, and those who need hospital care get it quickly, and also on effective discharge arrangements to reduce pressure on hospital occupancy."
