First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has explained this winter as 'the most challenging ever' in an address to the public. Ms Sturgeon held a briefing on Monday at 11am to address the overwhelming pressure faced by the NHS throughout Scotland.
The briefing follows a meeting of the Scottish Government resilience committee (SGoRR) - which took place on Friday, January 6 - where a response to the ongoing winter pressures of the health and social care system was discusssed.
During Monday's statement, the First Minister insisted that more must be done to avoid unnecessary visits to hospital as well as speeding up discharges to ease pressure and reduce the number of patients in hospital. It comes as hospitals across Scotland near breaking point, with many "almost completely full". Bed occupancy sat at 95 per cent last week.
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Sturgeon explained that some key areas of the NHS are not providing levels of care that the governments strikes, using the briefing to outline steps taken and future steps planned to try and improve the service.
Here are the key points from the First Minister's statement...
Hospitals almost 'completely full'
Hospitals across Glasgow and the rest of Scotland are "currently almost full", Nicola Sturgeon stated.
There are currently 1,700 people in hospital who do no need to be there, the First Minister said, with pressures continuing despite measures already being taken to reduce numbers.
There has been a "slight reduction" in delayed discharges, but more needs to be done to reduce pressure.
What is the latest face covering advice?
Anyone experiencing symptoms of a respiratory infection should stay at home where possible, Sturgeon says.
If you must leave home, then you are advised to wear a face mask, with those over 12 urged to wearing face coverings when using public transport or in public indoor spaces.
Extraordinary levels of winter flu
Ongoing pressure on the NHS has been worsened by the levels of winter flu this year.
The ongoing impact of Covid has also increased difficulty, with 1 in 25 Scots infected with the disease over the festive period, according to ONS data.
The First Minister noted that "extraordinary levels of winter flu" and cases of Strep A and other respiratory viruses has resulted in a significant demand for services.
NHS 24
The First Minister explained that additional NHS 24 staff were recruited in the run up to Christmas, with a record number of calls made to the services due to the continuing impact of Covid as well as flu and Strep A.
The overwhelming majority of calls made to NHS 24 were dealt with by the call without the need for hospital admission.
A new app is also planned for the service to allow the public to access assistance.
Meanwhile, the ambulance service responded to 16,000 incidents in the last week, she adds.
Will the Scottish Government impose further measures to relieve pressure on the NHS?
The First Minister explained that the use of Scottish Government powers to impose further measures in a bid to protect the NHS will be continually under review.
Sturgeon said that any powers used by the government will be thought through carefully, with health boards provided flexibility to pause some treatments and prioritise life-saving care.
A message for the Scottish public
The First Minster highlighted that the NHS is there for people who need it, but encouraged people to make use of services available - such as NHS Inform and NHS 24. Those in need should use these services if conditions are not serious or life threatening to help relieve some pressure on services like the ambulance service and A&E department across Scotland.
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