A Scots hospital sent out an SOS to staff to work on their days off after three major incidents were declared.
Ambulances were stuck outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for hours as staff shortages led to massive queues at the front door. The personnel crisis also led to another hospital, Borders General in Melrose, cancelling all planned routine operations.
And NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGCC) yesterday asked patients to stay away from A&E due to Covid pressures increasing – with one in 15 people in Scotland now infected.
Hospital insiders in Aberdeen said: “Last Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, the hospital was under incredible pressure. The beds in the hospital were filled and wards were running at a bare minimum number of staff.”
He added: “It doesn’t take much to tip it to the point where we’re struggling. Major incidents were declared so we could use options not normally available to us, such as sending an SOS to staff not on rota to come in.”
The insider said staff sickness because of Covid was “a large part” of the problem.
Labour’s health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said last night: “This is a very worrying development that shows the extreme pressure our NHS is under.”
Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton commented: “Our health service is creaking to the point of implosion.”
A NHS Grampian spokesman said: “Hospital major incidents were called on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. All were for relatively short periods of time and were a response to extreme pressures affecting Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
“This was due to a high number of acutely ill patients arriving at hospital and increased staffing pressures affecting our entire health and care system. These are, in part, down to rising Covid-19 levels in local communities.
“Our hospital major incident plan allows us to draw in extra staff who are not rostered to work, to allow the hospital to operate as safely as possible. In instances like these, cases are triaged as normal, with those facing life-threatening situations – such as heart attacks or strokes – continuing to be seen rapidly for life-saving treatment, and as an absolute priority.
“It is vital that to assist us, members of the public call NHS 24 on 111 prior to attending hospital, unless the situation is life-threatening – for example, a suspected heart attack or stroke, in which case they should call 999 immediately.”
NHS Borders CEO Ralph Roberts said: “Due to extreme pressures, Borders General Hospital (BGH) is at capacity. Our beds are fully occupied and our emergency department is exceptionally busy.
“In addition, Ward 9 at BGH and Hay Lodge Hospital, in Peebles, remain closed as a result of Covid-19 outbreaks and we continue to experience high rates of Covid-related staff absence. To alleviate these pressures, reluctantly all planned routine operations have been cancelled this week. Affected patients are being contacted directly. Everything possible will be done so urgent cancer and emergency surgery continues during this time.”
Senior clinicians at NHSGGC warned the public should not go to A&E unless their condition is “very urgent or life-threatening” with hospital occupancy at 90.6 per cent. There are 457 patients in GG&C hospitals with Covid.
Dr Scott Davidson, deputy medical director for acute services for NHSGGC, said: “Our staff are working around the clock to make sure we continue to see the sickest patients coming to our A&Es but we’re over capacity.
“Services are busier than ever, creating a bottleneck at the front door. As a result, patients unfortunately are having to wait long periods of time to be treated.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said they continued to see high levels of Covid transmission and people in hospitals with the virus, which is resulting in reduced capacity.
He said: “We are working with NHS boards to get those who have had treatments or procedures postponed due to pressures the care they need as quickly as possible.”
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